The second M1: build it now and it will pay for itself in three years by busting congestion costs

There are calls to get work on the ‘second M1’ underway a lot quicker after a new report revealed some surprising figures.

THE State Opposition says the second Pacific Motorway will pay for itself in savings from traffic congestion if the State Government commits to building it immediately.

An Infrastructure Australia report released earlier this week forecast that road congestion costs would quadruple by 2031 with delays on the M1 costing commuters $1.2 million a day.

Traffic gets busy on the M1 at Upper Coomera by 4.30am as tradies head off to work. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

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The Coast is be boosted by 200,000 residents in the next 15 years, and northern Gold Coast suburbs will accommodate most of them.

The Opposition is urging Labor to start on the Coomera Connector, arguing its $1.1 billion cost would be met in savings across a build of just less than three years.

LNP leader Deb Frecklington told the Bulletin: “Delays are costing commuters more than $1.2 million a day on the Pacific Motorway from 2031 but the LNP’s plan for a second M1 will recoup the cash lost in productivity.

“Too many hours are being lost on congested roads on the Gold Coast. The LNP is the only party committed to building a second M1.”

Ms Frecklington said the Coomera Connector, from Nerang to Stapleton in the north, would take 60,000 cars off the current motorway, bust congestion and get Gold Coasters home sooner and safer.

FEARS COOMERA CONNECTOR COULD TAKE DECADES TO BUILD

Member for Coomera Michael Crandon and Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington.

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“The Gold Coast is Queensland’s second biggest city and they are being treated like second class citizens by Labor,” Ms Frecklington said.

Southport MP Rob Molhoek, during a debate about the Estimates report, said he was concerned “there were no real answers on the future of the Coomera Connector road”.

“I find it particularly concerning that the Labor Party love to boast about the fact that they are there for the workers, that they are there for the battlers, but what are they doing for the thousands of tradies who are having to get up at four every morning and commute across the south-east to get to work,” he said.

“What are they doing to reduce the burden of stress on their lives and improve their quality of life? They are not really addressing the serious issues. What we see is weak leadership from Premier Palaszczuk and no real commitment to improving road congestion in South-East Queensland.”

Traffic on the M1. Photograph: Glenn Hampson.

But Transport Minister Mark Bailey has told the Opposition that “before you put capital in you have to have a detailed plan”.

He said the project was massive and had been stopped by the former Newman Government, which meant Labor had only just secured the corridor.

Mr Bailey told the Bulletin: “Gold Coast LNP MPs like Michael Crandon and Rob Molhoek failed to secure funding for any major Gold Coast public transport projects during the LNP’s term in office, yet they complain about Labor’s achievements and investments.

“The LNP ignored congestion because they blocked planning for the Second M1, didn’t spend a single new dollar on the M1 and failed to start the necessary planning on a number of other at capacity M1 interchanges. Congestion is the legacy of the LNP’s cuts.”

Mr Bailey said not one major roads project in south east Queensland was started in three years under the LNP.

“Three years of opportunity was lost because the LNP sacked workers and cut roads budgets, and now they blame a Labor Government that has delivered light rail, is doing the necessary planning for the Second M1 and secured $2.3 billion for four M1 upgrades,” he said.

“Deb Frecklington still has not told people what services she will cut or how many Gold Coast jobs will be lost to pay for her $9 billion worth of commitments, including for the Second M1.”