No Light Rail to Gold Coast Airport

[LionKing]

Qld dumps multi-billion dollar light rail due to 'overwhelming' opposition

The Queensland government dumps plans to build a multi-billion dollar public transport project on the Gold Coast, citing a cost blow out and "overwhelming opposition" from locals.

www.abc.net.au

That's definitely a huge blow to OOL.

It seems to me that Gold Coast Airport can only become a regional airport in this circumstances, and potentially it might not revive until 2032?

 

[AuSammy]

Disappointing. Short Sighted. Like a few other projects, both transport and energy related, been chopped since the last election.

 

[tgh]

It is not often that public opinion helps a government with a budget in trouble...

 

[moa999]

That saving will build three Olympic stadiums .

That said the express bus to LR works pretty well today imo, and be an even shorter ride once Stage 3 opens.

And while id like a one seat ride, I can also see why the density of that southern part of the GC struggles to make the economics of LR stack up.

 

[harryhv]

Gold Coast airport management isn't keen on public transport - for example the taxis have been thrown out and have to line up outside a nearby hotel because Uber bribed Gold Coast airport to remove the taxi rank from in front of the terminal.

What OOL really needs is a railway station - for what you and I call trains but opponents call "heavy" rail. That would not only ease transport from the airport, but a fast train to Brisbane would attract commuters to the southern Gold Coast and ease the housing crisis in the city.

 

[jbman]

The “heavy rail” should have been sorted years ago.

The current bus is poor. Used to be a double decker then they moved all of them into the theme park route. Now you get to wait for the all electric bus which is full.

The tram should have been pushed down years ago. Yes it’s slower but it’s better than the current offering.

The 50 cent fares will have to come to an end if there is going to be any progress with the current full trains from GC to BNE everyday

 

[jastel]

From what I observed recently most people dont even tap on/off for the 50c....

The tram is a zoo...would hate to be on there with anything bigger than hand luggage.
I did notice a surfboard holder but no luggage racks. A couple of times bikes tried to get on but obviously wouldnt fit.

 

[justinbrett]

I'm sure the decision will be reversed by a future government.

The problem I had with the extension was how they were going to address capacity and travel times. It's already somewhat slow, 40 minutes or so from Helensvale to Pacific Fair and the trams are often full, especially on weekends and evenings. This will only get worse after Stage 3 opens.

Is anybody going to take the 60 minute tram from Helensvale to Burleigh? It's faster to stay on the train and then connect to a bus at Varsity Lakes.

From what I observed recently most people dont even tap on/off for the 50c....

IME G:Link has the highest coverage of ticket inspectors, even after the 50c was introduced. In addition, it's at least a 50/50 chance whether they will have inspectors at Helensvale when you get off/on. You'd be mad to ride without a ticket, and that's coming from me as a local who uses it regularly

I did notice a surfboard holder but no luggage racks. A couple of times bikes tried to get on but obviously wouldnt fit.

As you can rarely get a seat it's a bit of a moot point. If it's not busy then I'll try an get a seat in the wheelchair area (of course I do get up for anybody that needs it) but otherwise I just stand near the doors in a corner.

Bikes are not permitted unless they're the folding kind and inside a bag of certain dimensions.

It's actually prohibited to place luggage or shopping on a seat, or to bring "excessive amounts of luggage" onto the tram.

 

[jastel]

Its prohibited to put bags on seats on trains as well, doesnt seem to stop anyone doing it...just me, my samsonite, backpack and jacket and emotional support waterbottle taking up 4 seats.

It does totally depend on the time of day but as to how crowded it is...it works sometimes.

Yes the Tram travel times are quite long and slow, the M1 will be popular for a while yet.

 

[moa999]

So has the 50c fares caused the jump in usage or was it busy before?

 

[markis10]

So has the 50c fares caused the jump in usage or was it busy before?

Light rail has had a 27.5% increase in pax under the new regime

 

[openseat]

Victory to the NIMBYs who don't want ordinary people. Hopefully this will spur on the extension of the rail line from Varsity Lakes to the airport and beyond (hopefully to Tweed Heads and beyond eventually).

 

[jastel]

ALL public transport is up all over QLD since the cheap fares started.
Cant recall exact percentages but some places were around 40% higher.
Violence and attacks on Bus drivers up as well.
The GC Tram was always pretty busy, worse around Surfers as that's the centre bit.

 

[Bundy Bear]

If you are coming from southern Brisbane suburbs the train and then bus connection is way to go, going via the Glink and bus takes forever.

Nimbys won this round, although Gold Coast airport wasn't that keen to help, I wonder if Gold Coast Airport keep a train line as part of their plans.

Heavy rail might need to be looked at and it might be better long term.

 

[moa999]

Heavy rail might need to be looked at and it might be better long term.

And there is at least a corridor preserved.

Gold Coast Heavy Rail Extension – Varsity Lakes to Gold Coast Airport (Department of Transport and Main Roads)

We are planning and preserving land for a proposed extension of the Gold Coast Line from Varsity Lakes to Tugun, Coolangatta and the Gold Coast Airport.

www.tmr.qld.gov.au

 

[HS-TQE]

I feel it's a missed opportunity for the rail extension curving around to terminate at the GC Airport terminal, saying that getting QLD and NSW to co-operate on a rail project continuing south of Coolangatta (due to different passenger gauges) is not really that simple, plus the different PT ticketing systems used by each state as well as separate funding arrangements.

 

[clifford]

It's faster to stay on the train and then connect to a bus at Varsity Lakes.

Sounds good, but...

How many people would actually want to do that? And lug their luggage onto the 760 bus (which would inconvenience almost everyone else). And that's if the 760 came along on time or if at all.

Well, that might be your preference, but I'd rather get the tram at Helensvale and ride all the way to Burleigh (in the year 2525) with my luggage and get a seat. You can always get one at the terminus (if you elbow everyone out of the way)..

Postscript: I've actually seen lots of people (mainly from the continent of Asia) trying to connect from Varsity Lakes station to the 760 bus, with varying degrees of success.

 

[serfty]

Postscript: I've actually seen lots of people (mainly from the continent of Asia) trying to connect from Varsity Lakes station to the 760 bus, with varying degrees of success.

I have done this connection both ways and generally successfully; one time the train was late enough that I needed to wait 25 minutes for the next bus.

Several times, I have used another bus to catch the tram to Surfers to visit/stay with friends.

Never with checked luggage, however.

 

[antycbr]

I feel it's a missed opportunity for the rail extension curving around to terminate at the GC Airport terminal, saying that getting QLD and NSW to co-operate on a rail project continuing south of Coolangatta (due to different passenger gauges) is not really that simple, plus the different PT ticketing systems used by each state as well as separate funding arrangements.

The Border Railways Act (NSW) 1922 is still in force in NSW and could be amended to cover Queensland

 

[justinbrett]

Sounds good, but...

How many people would actually want to do that? And lug their luggage onto the 760 bus (which would inconvenience almost everyone else). And that's if the 760 came along on time or if at all.

Well, that might be your preference, but I'd rather get the tram at Helensvale and ride all the way to Burleigh (in the year 2525) with my luggage and get a seat. You can always get one at the terminus (if you elbow everyone out of the way)..

Postscript: I've actually seen lots of people (mainly from the continent of Asia) trying to connect from Varsity Lakes station to the 760 bus, with varying degrees of success.

Well I live on the existing tram route so my preference is to get the tram from Helensvale to my house.

Getting a seat at Helensvale? Possible in off peak. Forget about it on weekends or peak hour. If you have checked luggage the only seats that really allow luggage are in the disabled/elderly seats so you really have to hope nobody in a wheelchair gets on. I guess if you’re elderly that might not be as big of a factor,

IMO the trams work well for locals and tourists on short trips within the GC. They are not fit for purpose as airport transport. This will continue to get worse as the line is extended.