Gold Coast light-rail extension needed in time for the 2018 Commonwealth Games
With the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the horizon, a tourism and transport advocacy group is calling for the extension of the Gold Coast light rail network within the next three years.
The G:Link light-rail network has been popular with locals and visitors and exceeded patronage forecasts with more than six million passengers in its first year.
Tourism and Transport Forum Australia (TTF) chief executive Margy Osmond says a decision on the G:Link extension needs to be made within the next few weeks, if it is to be ready in time for the event.
The introduction of light-rail has significantly improved the visitor experience on the Gold Coast, according to Osmond, who wants the line extended from the Gold Coast University Hospital to connect with the main rail line at Helensvale.
“This will provide a rail/light-rail link between Brisbane and Surfers Paradise and dramatically improve travel between the two cities, making it easier for spectators and locals to move around,” she says.
Investing in this key piece of infrastructure now makes sense, with hundreds of thousands expected to converge on the Gold Coast for the games, Osmond says.
“The Queensland and Commonwealth Governments need to get together and make a decision on this extension as a matter of priority.”