Mayor calls on Palaszczuk Government to commit to light rail stage two completion by 2018

CITY leaders want a quick announcement from the Palaszczuk Government to ensure tram-to-train connection is ready by the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Anna Bligh announced today at the Gold Coast Convention Centre that Goldlink Consortium successfully won the contract to bui...

CITY leaders want a light rail stage two announcement from the new Palaszczuk Government as soon as next month to ensure the tram-to-train connection is online in time for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Labor did not commit to extending the system it put in place during the election campaign, but councillors have already begun lobbying for stage 2 to ensure it makes an appearance in this year’s State Budget.

The extension was expected to run from Griffith University to Helensvale, but city leaders are proposing a light-to-heavy rail connection which can be operational by 2018.

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Mayor Tom Tate and council engineers had developed a preliminary design which would require a temporary heavy rail station to be built at Parkwood.

Annastacia Palaszczuk is sworn in as Queensland Premier by Governor Paul de Jersey.

Trams would connect to the temporary station, while work continues on the Helensvale route.

Once stage 2 is completed, the temporary station would be converted to an already proposed $96 million park and ride facility.

Cr Tate said he would soon write to new Transport Minister Jackie Trad to lobby for the new connection.

“I will soon write to the responsible Minister to make a case for the project and outline the extensive community support and business case for the project,” he said.

“Connecting the heavy and light rail will create thousands of jobs and be a catalyst project for both the Gold Coast and Brisbane. While the incoming State Government has not yet made a specific commitment, the door was left open by the then Deputy Leader of the Opposition during the election campaign.”

Future light and heavy rail connections have been named as a priority by the business community and as essential for the future flow of the city.

Demographer Bernard Salt said new transport infrastructure was necessary for the city to cope with its increasing population, which is expected to double to 1.2 million people by 2050.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was Transport Minister in the former Bligh Government in 2011 when the contract was signed to appoint GoldLinQ as the tram system’s operator.

Southport Cr Dawn Crichlow called on Ms Palaszczuk to make the extension a reality, saying Labor should “finish what it started”.

“They instigated when they were in power last time so they should finish what was started,” she said.

“Council has the map and a plan so given people love the rail it should be extended.

“We need it done by the Games and this is achievable but for this to be possible we need a decision by the end of March.

“It should be easy — extend GoldLinQ’s contract by another 10 to 15 years and we can get on with it.”

Calls by the Bulletin to the Palaszczuk Government were not returned.