Construction on stage 4 of the Gold Coast light rail is tipped to start as soon as 2023
THE Queensland government has said it wants to fast-track stage four of the light rail from Burleigh to Coolangatta.
“Any opportunity we get to fast-track that next stage we’ll certainly take that,” transport minister Mark Bailey told the media.
Work on the Broadbeach to Burleigh section (Stage 3) is still to start, but a business case for the $2.5bn southern stage (stage 4) is said to be “well underway”.
There have been suggestions the next stage could start as soon as 2023.
“That would be the ideal outcome,” Bailey said, albeit sources indicated it might occur later.
Construction could run straight through Burleigh Heads and on to Coolangatta.
The project already has been welcomed by the state opposition.
The line would split the Gold Coast Highway at Palm Beach.
The project would ultimately link Helensvale in the Gold Coast’s theme-park dominated north, with Gold Coast Airport.
In this way it would not only provide an excellent means of travel on the glitter strip, but also link the airport with a station on the Brisbane rail network.
Travellers could take the light rail from Gold Coast Airport to Helensvale before changing to catch a QR train to such places as Brisbane, Brisbane Airport, Ipswich or the Sunshine Coast.