Light rail boss Phil Mumford urges governments to ‘get cracking’ on light rail funding deal
The Gold Coast’s light rail boss has made an appeal to governments to ‘get cracking’ if an important deadline is to be met.
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Light rail boss Phil Mumford has urged all three levels of government to “get cracking” on a funding deal for the next stage of the tram system.
Calls are growing for the government to confirm it is still committed to building the tram extension from Burleigh Heads to the border via the airport.
There are fears of the project faces being delayed by a government’s review into more than $120bn of infrastructure projects, something which would put its completion in time for the 2032 Olympics in doubt.
Mr Mumford, CEO of light rail operator GoldLinQ, said time was needed to built the 13km extension.
“Stage 4 of the light rail is an exciting extension of the project and my job is to concentrate on Stage 3 here today,” he said.
“If there is a need to extend the light rail for the Olympics in 2032 we need to crack on with it.
“I’m not worried about funding, that’s for our (politicians) but stages 1, 2 and 3 attracted funding from all three levels, the federal state and council.”
Construction of the light rail’s southern extension must begin by late 2025 or 2026, with funding locked in by the end of 2024.
The extension must be completed by 2030, allowing for two years of testing and bedding in before the 2032 Olympics begin in July that year.
Mayor Tom Tate and business leaders are pushing for the federal and state governments to confirm their support for the project, which will run from Burleigh Heads to the border via Gold Coast Airport.
“To not complete the fourth stage before the 2032 Olympic Games would be a betrayal of the Gold Coast and in direct contrast to Infrastructure Australia’s elevation of the project to priority status,” he said on Tuesday.
“I am heartened by the positive comments supporting the light rail by the Prime Minister and Senator Murray Watt and I look forward to confirmation of the Federal commitment to Stage 4 in the near future.”
It comes ahead of the next stage of construction on Stage 3, between Broadbeach and Burleigh, beginning in October.
A new retaining wall will be built along the Lower Gold Coast Highway at Burleigh Heads which will create extra space needed for the widening of the Gold Coast Highway to make way for the trams and stations.
Mr Mumford said the works, which will see 400 piles installed along the lower highway to create the foundations, were “critical”.
He confirmed the project was still on track, with the first trams expected to run into Burleigh in 2025.
“This is a very difficult project to build, building in a brownfield environment on the highway,” he said.
“We hope to be laying track by this time next year.”
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