The southern Gold Coast is set to rely on more buses without dedicated lanes after the Queensland government scrapped plans to extend the city’s light rail network from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta.
The multi-billion-dollar project was abandoned last week, with officials citing high costs and strong community opposition. Since then, little detail has emerged about alternative transport plans for the region.
Acting Gold Coast Mayor Mark Hammel said Mayor Tom Tate had recently met with Queensland Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg, and indications were that the area would be serviced by additional buses instead of the long-promised rail link.
“We’re not talking about a rapid bus system,” Cr Hammel said. “From the best of our detail, it just means some extra 777 buses and a bit of paint on lanes at certain intersections to create priority.”
With the southern Gold Coast’s population growing rapidly and traffic congestion already a daily frustration, Hammel warned that the proposed measures fell short of what was needed.
“We’re looking for more than that to ensure the southern Gold Coast has a genuine alternative public transport option,” he said. “To me, this says the state government has no intention of delivering a full public transport corridor from Burleigh to Coolangatta.”
+ There are no comments
Add yours