Gold Coast light rail stage 4: Impact on southern suburbs if tram extension is not built

Heavy rail was never seriously considered as the immediate next step of public transport for the southern Gold Coast, with the project failing to make the short-list. THIS IS WHY

Heavy rail was never seriously considered as the immediate next step of public transport for the southern Gold Coast, with the project failing to make state government’s options short-list.

The government’s preliminary evaluation report into the gigantic Stage 4 extension of light rail from Burleigh Heads to the NSW border, reveals 13 options made a long-list of ways to take pressure off the roads in the face of significant population growth.

But extending the heavy rail from Varsity Lakes to Gold Coast Airport was ruled out early.

“One of the longlist options not progressed was the heavy rail extension of the Gold Coast rail line from Varsity Lakes to the Airport,” the report reads.

“Heavy rail is considered a complementary project for a mature transport network, not an alternative option.”

The heavy rail extension was not prioritised.

This was despite the results of community consultation of 1005 people in 2020-21 finding 87 per cent surveyed were in favour of trains, while 58 per cent were favouring the trams.

Just 25 per cent of those surveyed were in favour of more bus lanes.

Heavy rail has previously been dismissed primarily because of its significantly higher cost than trams, while also directly linking to fewer people.

The Gold Coast Airport has long been in favour of both light and heavy rail, with its recently released draft masterplan naming trams as the priority which says it must be delivered in the next eight years.

Artist impression of the Gold Coast Airport masterplan, which features new hotels, a light rail connection and retail precinct. Picture: Supplied

A train station is in the airport’s long-term vision and expected to be built by the 2040s.

The state’s light rail preliminary evaluation report’s short-list had 11 options, primarily focused around buses, including enhancing the existing network with more stations and bus lanes, road upgrades and bus rapid transit.

The report said rapid buses, similar to Brisbane’s Metro project, had a similar economic boost and benefit to light rail, however it was “excluded from further consideration” because it would require all-new technology and contractors, as well as greater spending on infrastructure.

“By 2026 there will be three stages of Gold Coast light rail operating along the coastal urban corridor (while) a bus rapid transit option in the Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta corridor would introduce a new public transport technology with a need for separate contracting, operating and maintenance requirements,” the report reads.

Bus rapid transit was considered initially before trams were selected.

“Associated development costs to establish a stand-alone Bus Rapid Transit depot, stabling and operating system (while) significant capital cost to construct the Bus Rapid Transit pavement for the length of the corridor and the integration of turnaround infrastructure.

“Additional land requirements (would be needed) compared to light rail transit as the bus rapid transit vehicle requires a wider corridor and the station platforms are wider.”

The report said the extra spend and requirements ruled it out.

“Given these considerations and a similar range of cost to implement, bus rapid transit does not present a viable alternative to the light rail transit within the context of this project and the surrounding public transport network and did not warrant further consideration,” it reads.

Rapid buses were previously among the proposals considered in the late 2000s when the light rail’s first stage was being developed, however it was abandoned in favour of trams.

State Transport Minister Bart Mellish this week for the first time unveiled cost estimates for Stage 4 with a range from $3.1 billion to $7.6 billion which City of Gold Coast CEO Tim Baker said was higher than they were expecting.

A ‘declining dormitory’: Southern GC’s fate without intervention

The southern Gold Coast risks economic stagnation and costly congestion without intervention, according to a state government report evaluating extending light rail from Burleigh to Gold Coast Airport.

The state government will progress to a detailed business case of the 13km tram extension from Burleigh to Gold Coast Airport which is expected to be completed in late 2025.

State Transport Minister Bart Mellish said the extended network was expected to be completed and operational in time for the 2032 Olympic Games.

The government’s preliminary evaluation report into the gigantic Stage 4, which will run between Burleigh Heads and the border, reveals the reasons behind state backing of the project, which is expected to cost $4.4bn, with an upper estimate of $7.6bn.

Artist impression of Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 between Tugun and Coolangatta, including Gold Coast Airport and the NSW border. Picture: Department of Transport and Main Roads.

The report says that without the extension:

* Congestion will cost the city an extra $117m annually in lost productivity by 2041;

* Public transport use, already low in the south, would stagnate and shrink.

“Improved public transport access to the Gold Coast Airport would also support the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games by providing connectivity to accommodation and competition venues (and) more broadly than the Games, the Gold Coast is an event city with an events calendar that expands every year as the city’s reputation for world-class events grows.

“Major events include the Pacific Air Show, Gold Coast, Magic Millions (yearling sale and horse racing carnival), Gold Coast 500 (Supercars), the Coolangatta Gold and Cooly Rocks On, and Blues on Broadbeach,” the report reads.

“High quality transit is essential to service and facilitate existing events and continue to promote the growth in visitation to the Gold Coast.

“Without intervention, the southern Gold Coast may become a dormitory area for jobs in other parts of the Gold Coast, the South East Queensland region, and northern New South Wales,

and the area could fail to realise its economic potential.”

A new state government report makes the case for why the project will move to the next stage Picture: Department of Transport and Main Roads.

The report notes the southern Gold Coast between Burleigh Heads and Coolangatta is also tipped to experience strong population growth, increasing 39 per cent from 34,220 residents to reach 47,500 people by 2041.

“This growth will bring significant transport challenges, and without major improvements to the public transport network in the southern Gold Coast, public transport usage would

stagnate, and account for only 5.6 per cent of trips by 2041.

“The associated congestion in the study area in 2041 is forecast to represent an annual cost of $117 million to the economy.

“The southern Gold Coast is highly car dependent and lacks a competitive public transport option. It is forecast that by 2041 the Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta area will experience

increasing congestion and declining travel reliability on all major traffic routes in peak times, including on the M1.

The cost of the project, particularly the bridges, will be high, Transport Minister Bart Mellish has warned.

“Without intervention, these problems will lead to declining amenity and liveability, restrict residential and employment growth, and fail to realise the opportunity for sustainable

urban consolidation and future economic development.”

Capital funding is yet to be committed for Stage 4, and will be considered in future budgets after completion of the detailed business case. Commitments are needed from all three levels of government.

After Mr Mellish released cost estimates on Tuesday morning, City of Gold Coast CEO Tim Baker said it was “higher than what the City expected”, while Mayor Tom Tate urged haste to get it built.

Mr Tate said: “The earlier we start the cheaper it will be.”

Mr Mellish said the cost is “really getting up there in terms of the dollar figure, with the upper estimate of $7.6bn being higher than the state’s biggest infrastructure project Cross River Rail.