Mayor says making M1 duplicate a toll road will speed up build

GOLD Coast Mayor Tom Tate has called on the State Government to consider a private public partnership for building a duplicate M1 — and make the road a toll road. Here’s why.

GOLD Coast Mayor Tom Tate has called on the State Government to consider a private public partnership for building a duplicate M1.

Cr Tate said a toll road option for a second motorway, described as “the Coomera Connector’’, would prevent delays when it came to funding arguments between the State and Federal governments.

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The M1 is already at capacity and needs an alternative to take on the congestion fast. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

“The future of the M2 may be a combination of public funding and private equity. The private equity partner would recover their investment through a toll,” he said.

“Motorists would then have a simple choice – remain in the M1 bottleneck, losing productivity, burning extra fuel and being frustrated with everyone around you, or pay a toll to be on the M2 and be in Brisbane or beyond in less than 50 minutes.”

Cr Tate’s comments followed a briefing yesterday between the Mayor and the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said he would support making the M1 alternative a toll road. Pics Adam Head

“I expect many motorists, especially those pulling freight for a living, would happily pay a toll,” he said.

But State Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said a toll road did not always mean faster construction.

“Making the new route a toll road would not necessarily make the road construction happen faster,” he said.

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Coomera MP Michael Crandon said the LNP had ruled out making the M1 alternative a toll road.

“The business case and design will follow the gazettal of the corridor by Labor and that will establish a final figure to then determine a funding agreement across levels of government to build the new road.

“Based on the current growth trajectory of the northern Gold Coast, it’s clear the Coomera Connector will become an important part of Coast’s road network when it is built.’’

In September the minister announced the Government was ready to sign off on gazettal of the final section of land required for the Coomera Connector.

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“After three wasted years of progress being blocked under the Newman LNP government, the Palaszczuk Labor Government is securing the corridor with the necessary planning,’’ he said yesterday.

“We’ve gazetted two corridors to secure a route and will gazette the third and final section of land at its northern end in 2019.”

LNP Member for Coomera Michael Crandon said yesterday he would not support a tollway.

“It is not what we envisage in the LNP Opposition office. Our position is if we are successful in the 2020 election, we will be building the Coomera Connector, the second M1,” he said.

“Our official position is if we win we will build a second M1 and no, we are not supportive of a toll.

“The reality is it is a state road.

“The message to this government is come on, let’s do it. We know we need to take 60,000 cars off the M1.

“They can take our homework. We don’t mind. Build the bloody thing.”

But LNP Mermaid Beach MP Ray Stevens said he would support a toll road option for the M1 alternative.

“We need a second motorway, whichever way we are going to get it, either through state government funding or private partnership as a toll road,” he said. “Whichever way would deliver it sooner.”