Light rail down to Burleigh Heads and airport a pipe dream after latest bureaucratic stall

Southern Gold Coast businesses ready to reap the benefits of a light rail connection are worried trams to the airport will remain a pipedream after the latest stall.

COOLANGATTA businesses are ready to reap the benefits of a light rail connection — if it ever comes to fruition.

Bureaucratic back-and-forth has stalled construction of a tram line from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads and it may not be ready before 2023.

This means a further connection to Coolangatta via Gold Coast Airport remains something of a pipedream for now.

It’s “completely unacceptable”, said restaurateur Scott Littler, owner of Choofas Smokehouse & Seafood in Coolangatta.

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Businesses want to see more Brisbane visitors, who they believe will use the service in lieu of cars during busy holiday periods. Picture: Jerad Williams

Mr Littler urged politicians at a state and federal level — who are at an impasse over funding — to “get it built already”.

He said businesses in Coolangatta have been united in their desire to see the project come to pass.

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“The rail line is a way to increase the accessibility of Brisbane people to the coast and now they’ve delayed it. I just find it absolutely bizarre,” he said.

Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3A artist impressions and stations between Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads

“Everyone down here is of the same opinion. People coming from the north are a significant portion of the viability of the businesses on the southern end of the Gold Coast.

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“We have a lot of regulars that come down, but we don’t see them during school holidays because the traffic is so bad. The rail system would allow easy access here.”

Ian Grace, vice president of the Greater Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce, said a rail connection to Coolangatta would likely be a boon for business, though some worry about a drop in trade during construction.

Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3A artist impressions of a Miami North stop.

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He applauded Mayor Tom Tate, who called on the Morrison Government and Shorten Opposition to make a pre-election funding commitment.

“Once things start getting delayed you have this roll-on effect. From a tourism perspective, the sooner we move forward the better,” he said.

“It’s about opening up the Gold Coast. You’ll get much more back-and-forward travel on the coast. It’ll be more of a unified city.”

In 2016, Gold Coast City Council endorsed planning for Stage 3 of the light rail from Broadbeach South to Coolangatta via Gold Coast Airport.

The NSW Government plans to connect a light rail line from Tweed Heads to the Gold Coast line.