Southern GC MPs call for a share of the action

8 Oct 2015 5:07 PMMichael Hart

Southern GC MPs call for a share of the action

Member for Currumbin Jann Stuckey and Member for Burleigh Michael Hart have called on the State and Federal Governments to address the urgent need for transport infrastructure on the
Southern Gold Coast.

“For far too long the Southern Gold Coast has been totally neglected,” Ms Stuckey said.

“It took more than twenty years to finally get the Tugun bypass and Labor only produced four kilometres of rail in more than a decade of government.  Meanwhile, half a billion dollars promised for southern sections of the M1 in 2007 was stolen by Kevin Rudd for northern Labor electorates.

“As the gateway to Queensland, both our domestic and international visitors are greeted with poor transport options, virtually non-existent public transport infrastructure and an M1 frequently described as a parking lot.

“Many thousands of visitors will fly into Sydney then onto Coolangatta for the Commonwealth Games, and let’s not forget the southern drive market which will bring significantly more vehicles onto our already congested roads.”

Mr Hart said on face value funding which would be spent on duplicating the heavy rail line with light rail at Parkwood could be more beneficially used to bring the desperately needed infrastructure south.

“Linking light rail with heavy rail can be achieved by bringing light rail south to Burleigh then West to the Varsity Lakes heavy rail line,” he said.

“Every single day families from across the Coast are spending more time in their car and less time with their families because of congestion on the M1 from Tugun to Robina.”

Ms Stuckey and Mr Hart will continue to lobby for the southern Gold Coast to receive its fair share of funding from all levels of Government.

“With the Commonwealth Games fast approaching, it is more important now than ever before that we see serious investment in the Coast’s public transport infrastructure to ease congestion for our visitors and leave a lasting legacy for the Coast,” Ms Stuckey said.

“We are challenging respective Governments to reach an agreement to upgrade the M1 to four lanes from the border to Varsity and provide an adequate solution to connect visitors from the Gold Coast Airport with public transport.”

[ENDS] 9 October 2015