Homes to go as part of billion-dollar fast rail plan to boost Olympic tourism

A billion-dollar plan to boost train services between the Gold Coast and Logan in time for the 2032 Olympics will come at a major cost for locals, with property resumptions guaranteed.

A billion-dollar plan to boost train services between the Gold Coast and Logan in time for the 2032 Olympics will include property resumptions.

It is still unknown how many properties will have to be resumed when the existing rail corridor is widened from two tracks to four.

State and federal governments this week announced $356.2 million would be spent duplicating the train line between Kuraby and the Gold Coast.

A map showing the section of the line which will be upgraded between Kuraby and Beenleigh.

The track upgrade would allow faster and more frequent trains on the line, uncorking a bottleneck between Kuraby and Beenleigh, where it is single track in each direction.

The single track limits the number of peak services with all-stop Beenleigh trains forced to wait on the side for about four minutes to allow Gold Coast express trains to pass.

Transport watchdog Rail Back on Track’s Robert Dow said the project was necessary and the number of property resumptions would depend on results of public consultation, which started this week and will run until October.

Rail Back on Track’s Robert Dow said the project was necessary for state progress.

“We don’t know yet how or where properties will be resumed as that will depend on consultation,” he said.

“The government is still looking to the community to get that input but there are plenty of opportunities for concerned residents to have face-to-face meetings with project planners.

“This has to be done — especially for the Olympics, and to increase the frequency of trains on the line.”

Mr Dow said state and federal governments had contributed $178 million each, which “is just to get the project started”.

Duplicating the track will allow faster and more trains between the Gold Coast and Beenleigh.

Plans unveiled this week included building 20km of new tracks and rail between Kuraby and Beenleigh stations and upgrading seven train stations and relocating two stations in Logan.

Kuraby, Woodridge, Kingston, Bethania, Edens Landing, Holmview and Beenleigh stations will all be upgraded as part of the massive state and federal government project.

Loganlea Station will be shifted about 300m so it will line up with the front door of the Logan Hospital and the busy Trinder Park Station will be moved further north.

Both relocations are designed to allow the track to be straightened to accommodate faster trains.

Level crossings at Kuraby, Woodridge, Bethania, Holmview and Beenleigh will also be removed, which received the thumbs up from Mr Dow.

“We are delighted that the proposal includes level crossing removals, a track capacity upgrade from two to four tracks including a straightening of the line generally, and station upgrades,” he said.

“We have long highlighted the need for this track capacity upgrade and particularly the problem with the level crossings.

“As train frequency increases, the level crossings become a lot more dangerous and congestion causing. This is a comprehensive plan and is on the right track.”

Loganlea train station will be relocated under the plan.

As part of the Loganlea Station relocation, a park‘n’ride will be built and Logan Hospital’s multi-level car park opened this year.

A multistorey car park will also be built at Beenleigh Station and connect to a bus interchange with the rail tunnel under Beenleigh Town Square duplicated.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the plan was to double the number of Beenleigh and Gold Coast services over the next 20 years.

“The Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail project will mean faster, more frequent journeys by train between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, something that will be critical for the 2032 Olympics,” he said.

“It also means better train stations and access to parking for commuters between Kuraby and Beenleigh, and congestion-busting improvements to level crossings.”

Mr Bailey encouraged residents to have their say in the upcoming community consultation, which ends on October 29.

TMR is completing a Business Case for Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail.

Originally published as Homes to go as part of billion-dollar fast rail plan to boost Olympic tourism