Coomera Connector: Mark Hammel calls for bus and cycle ways to be included

The Coomera Connector will need these additional features if it is ease traffic congestion, warns a council candidate.

THE Coomera Connector will need dedicated bus lanes and cycleways if it is ease traffic congestion, warns a council candidate.

Division 1 candidate Mark Hammel has released a comprehensive traffic plan developed in consultation with urban planning experts which includes improvements to the rapid bus network to future proof the area which will become home to more than 65,000 new residents.

But rival candidate Pat Reynolds has called for a debate on election costings in the division,

which will produce a new councillor on March 28.

A map from Division 1 candidate Mark Hammel showing bikeways and the Coomera Connector. Photo: Supplied

Mr Hammel, on the eve of tonight’s forum organised by The Bulletin for Divisions 1, 2 and 3, said: “I’ve spoken to the transport experts — as well as thousands of frustrated local residents and businesses.

“I have a plan that would see dedicated bus lanes and cycle ways on the Coomera Connector that connect to Ormeau, Pimpama and Yatala train and bus stations, as well as the light rail station at Helensvale

“This will give people in heavily populated suburbs in Division 1 a quick and efficient way to connect to the heavy rail, while also significantly increasing patronage on the bus and light rail network.

“Parallel to the bus lane would be a dedicated cycle way that would connect cyclists to public transport and keep them safe by getting them off extremely dangerous Division 1 service roads that were never built to have bicycles on them in the first place.”

Gold Coast City Council Division One candidate Mark Hammel (standing in the middle) with locals Geoff Rossman and Dave Collard discussing the maps for the Coomera Connector.

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Mr Hammel slammed council’s seven-year-old Gold Coast City Transport Strategy 2031 labelling it as “a joke that doesn’t take the far northern Gold Coast seriously”.

“How can the fastest-growing region of the Gold Coast — and south-east Queensland, for that matter — barely get a mention when it comes to the city’s public transport strategy,” he said.

“It is laughable that this current plan for public transport doesn’t have Division 1 being connected to the rapid bus network before 2031 — the bus network that is currently proposed ends at Coomera.

“When the public transport strategy was created, we knew that we were going to go through

significant population booms in Ormeau, Pimpama and the Yatala Enterprise Area.”

“If elected, I’ll be calling for the city’s public transport plan to be reviewed and the rapid bus

network to extend all the way to the far northern Gold Coast by joining Ormeau, Pimpama, Yatala and Jacobs Well,” he said.

Division 1 candidate Pat Reynolds says his challengers should reveal how they will pay for

their promises to voters, especially for infrastructure projects like roads so ratepayers don’t

end up footing the bill.

Pat Reynolds on the campaign trail in Division 1.

“Fixing roads and transport problems seem to be one of the biggest promises candidates

across all divisions are spruiking to potential voters, but the reality is they’ll have to be paid

for and I’d like to know how,” Mr Reynolds says.

“It’s one thing to make bold statements but council has a finite budget that needs to be

utilised across 14 Divisions, and all councillors will be vying for their fair share of it.

“I agree roads and transport are a high priority to address in Division 1, but let’s be realistic

and understand what we’re dealing with first so rates don’t get hiked so high to pay for it

that it makes it unaffordable to live here.”