THE Queensland state government has scrapped plans to extend the Gold Coast light rail project, citing public opposition and cost blowouts.
The 13km stage four extension from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta was estimated to cost $A 3.1-7.6bn ($US 2-5bn). However, a Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning review found the cost could now be between $A 5.7bn and $A 9.8bn “due to uncertainty about deliverability timeframes”.
Queensland’s deputy premier, Jarrod Bleijie, also cited significant community opposition to the southern extension. “The overwhelming opposition from residents on the southern Gold Coast was clear,” he says.
Bleijie says the state government would instead look at rolling out a "multi-modal transport corridor" including more frequent bus services.
Stage four would have provided a direct connection to the city centre for the more than six million people who travel through Gold Coast airport every year. It would have provided an alternative for residents in growing southern suburbs such as Palm Beach.
Earlier this year, the new Liberal National Party-led state government announced two separate reviews into stage four. It also undertook a new round of community consultation, which prioritised feedback from residents living along the proposed route over that from other parts of the city.
Bleijie said two-thirds of the 5662 submissions opposed stage four, while 60% felt they had not been adequately consulted by the former Labor government. He also said a shortage of skilled workers in Queensland meant delivering stage four by the 2032 Olympics appeared “problematic.”
More than 100 million trips have been taken on the existing 20.3km light rail line that runs from Helensvale to Broadbeach since the first phase opened in 2014.
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