Secrecy about M2 planning including land buy-ups concerns northern Gold Coast residents

THE $2.4 billion second M1 has been hailed as the answer to the Gold Coast’s traffic woes. Here’s when you can expect to see construction work begin and what’s holding it up.

CRITICAL Gold Coast infrastructure projects including a $2.4 billion alternative motorway and a heavy rail extension are on a road to nowhere, leaving the city at the mercy of traffic gridlock.

Political and business leaders are furious at a lack of progress on the major work, which they say the State Government must prioritise for the sake of the city’s economy and continued growth.

The M1. Picture Glenn Hampson

A six-lane alternative to the M1, previously known as the Intra-Regional Transport Corridor (IRTC), is now under the microscope, with the State Opposition demanding to know when construction will begin.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey told the Gold Coast Bulletin construction of the alternative highway – now referred to by the Transport and Main Roads Department as the “Coomera Connector’’ – hinges on further growth in traffic demand and availability of funding.

Questions from Theodore MP Mark Boothman to Mr Bailey were prompted by the removal of timelines for the alternative highway from a Government website.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey told the Bulletin the future of the Coomera Connector hinged on further growth in traffic demand and funding. (AAP Image/Jono Searle)

Mr Boothman said his northern Gold Coast electorate office was receiving numerous calls from concerned residents about the status of the planned 36.5km highway between Stapylton and Nerang, to run east of the M1.

“All I wanted from him is exactly what’s happening, what they have planned. The information on their website is changing from week to week,’’ Mr Boothman told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

“Residents are saying what is happening here? Is it four lanes, is it six lanes? Will it be bitumen, will it be concrete? What type of sound walls (will be built)?”

Mr Boothman asked a Question on Notice for timelines on community consultation, land acquisitions, final design works, a documented business case, allocation of funds and construction start and completion dates.

WHY WE WANT THE M1 UPGRADE AND THE M2 BUILT

Mark Boothman said his northern Gold Coast electorate office was receiving numerous calls from concerned residents about the status of the planned 36.5km highway. Pics Tim Marsden

New calls for action on the motorway come a month after the Bulletin revealed planning was ongoing on the extension of the heavy rail south of Varsity Lakes but that the timing and scope of the works would depend on “funding and competing statewide priorities”

The RACQ and a prominent business leader have backed the push for decisions to be made on both transport projects.

Gold Coast North Chamber of Commerce president Martin Brady said decisions on the future of the high-cost projects could not be delayed further.

“You just have to look at the population growth on the northern end of the city to see it is critical to make these decisions now so we can move forward,” he said.

“If we do not see action now it will simply be too late.”

RACQ public policy head Rebecca Michael said the work was critical.

“Queensland faces a backlog of transport infrastructure which won’t cater for higher future transport volumes unless we see urgent investment,” she said.

“It is important the Gold Coast light rail extension and Pacific Motorway upgrades continue to receive funding because these key projects will, in turn, help keep the Gold Coast moving.”

The Opposition costed the new highway at $500 million, with the LNP before last year’s state election promising the Bulletin it would fund half the cost with the Commonwealth.

The pledge was made after a series of reports revealed sections of the M1 would reach gridlock within 18 months. An alternative motorway is tipped to take 60,000 cars off the highway.

But Mr Bailey has cautioned the alternative motorway’s cost will be closer to $2.4 billion, and his focus has been on upgrading the M1 and its interchanges.

He confirmed that figure last night, saying it was the cost for the total 36km project and not, as the Transport and Main Roads website said yesterday, just for stage 1 between Helensvale and Coomera.

Mr Bailey said the southern section of the alternative highway was gazetted by the Palaszczuk Government as a future state-controlled road in 2016. Gazettal of the second section between Coomera and Staplyton was completed in May last year, he said.

The Government had acquired some properties on the proposed route in “hardship circumstances”.

The northern Gold Coast growth corridor. Picutre: skyepicsaerialphotography

“As the project is still in the planning phase there are no timelines for all land acquisitions, final design works, documented business case, allocation of funds or construction start or completion dates,” Mr Bailey said.

Mr Bailey acknowledged the Coomera Connector would be a “vital link” to expand and upgrade the local roads network on the northern Gold Coast.

Gold Coast Bulletin reports have detailed how commuters have taken 23 minutes to crawl 150m in Pimpama to access the M1 to get to work.

Mr Bailey said the timing for delivery of the Coomera Connector would depend on further growth in traffic demand and availability of funding.

“Funding of any future construction would be subject to competing priorities across the state,” he said.

“The current cost estimate to build this road is $2.4 billion and while the LNP may try to pretend that it can be delivered on the cheap – having committed to fund only a fraction of the cost – we will continue to be upfront about our planning, keeping the Gold Coast updated on progress.”