Queensland authorities dumps Gold Coast mild rail stage 4

Plans to increase the southern Gold Coast’s multi-billion-dollar mild rail challenge have been scrapped by the Queensland authorities.

Stage 4 of the sunshine rail — a 13-kilometre tram observe from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta — was estimated to value between $3.1 billion and $7.6 billion.

But Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie mentioned a Department of Infrastructure and Planning evaluate discovered that value might have blown out to $9.8 billion.

Mr Bleijie additionally cited important group opposition to the tram line being prolonged additional south.

“This is a line in the sand for the community that we promised we would review it independently,” he mentioned.

Mr Bleijie mentioned the state authorities would as an alternative take a look at rolling out a “multi-model transport corridor” together with extra frequent bus providers.

Gold Coast faces rising pains

The Gold Coast’s inhabitants is anticipated to extend from about 650,000 to 1 million by 2041.

Transport specialists have constantly regarded the sunshine rail as a significant option to cut back congestion.

It would have offered a direct line for the greater than 6 million individuals who journey by means of the Gold Coast Airport yearly.

Stage 4 additionally would have offered an alternative choice to vehicles for residents in rising southern suburbs akin to Palm Beach.

But it additionally brought about important group backlash, with considerations that the sunshine rail would promote overdevelopment in beachside suburbs.

Earlier this yr, the brand new Liberal National Party (LNP) state authorities introduced two separate evaluations into stage 4.

It additionally undertook a brand new spherical of group session, which prioritised suggestions from residents residing alongside the proposed route over that from different components of the town.

That drew sharp criticism from Mayor Tom Tate, who accused the state authorities of casting stage 4 in a detrimental mild and setting it as much as fail.

Mr Bleijie mentioned two-thirds of the 5,600 submissions opposed stage 4, whereas 60 per cent felt they’d not been adequately consulted by the previous Labor authorities.

He additionally mentioned a scarcity of expert employees in Queensland meant delivering stage 4 by the 2032 Olympics appeared “problematic”.

“There was no money in the budget for Gold Coast light rail stage four,” he mentioned.

Bus depot for Burleigh Heads

The resolution means the sunshine rail will finish in Burleigh Heads — a preferred retail and leisure space — with a brand new bus depot wanted to cater for 11,000 day by day commuters.

Mr Bleijie mentioned the Department of Transport and Main Roads would decide the place that depot can be constructed.

It will even look at the viability of a heavy rail hyperlink to the Gold Coast Airport — a challenge that has been thought-about on and off for many years.

Stage 4 isn’t the primary rail challenge the state authorities has walked again on in favour of buses.

In March, the federal government broke a key election promise by scrapping the ultimate stage of the Sunshine Coast rail line.

Instead, a metro bus service will take commuters.

Concerns for surroundings and amenity

The LNP’s Burleigh Heads MP, Hermann Vorster, mentioned there have been appreciable considerations stage 4 can be “wrecking the environment” round Tallebudgera Creek and Currumbin Creek.

He additionally mentioned the associated fee would place additional burden on Gold Coast residents, with the council probably being required to pump $1 billion into the challenge.

“That’s something I’m sure the ratepayer couldn’t stomach,” he mentioned.

Currumbin MP Laura Gerber mentioned there have been unanswered questions in regards to the lack of automobile parks, property resumptions and the way stage 4 would influence amenity.

“Our community has been heard, our voice matters,” she mentioned.

But Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce president, Zac Revere, mentioned scrapping stage 4 “is short-sighted and will go down as one of this government’s greatest failures”.

“It is a lasting setback for our city,” he mentioned.

“Right now, residents stuck in traffic across our city should be asking, ‘What exactly is the plan to ease congestion around my home?’

“Today, we’re one step additional away from a solution and our state authorities has no solutions.”

More than 100 million trips have been taken on the existing 20-kilometre light rail route between Helensvale and Broadbeach since it began operating 11 years ago.

Construction to increase the road 6.7km additional south to Burleigh Heads is underway, with plans to start out taking passengers by mid-2026.