Gold Coast light rail - Stage 2

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Gold Coast Bulletin --> New figures show Gold Coast Light rail stage 2 boosted patronage 25 per cent in a month

USE of the Gold Coast Light Rail has jumped 25 per cent in just a month and is set to get even busier, according to new figures released by the State Government.

The tram extension, which runs between the Gold Coast University Hospital and Helensvale train station, opened just before Christmas, with more than 40,000 people using it on its first day.

But new figures released today show it continued to be busy over the Christmas and New Years periods with 172,000 extra trips across the whole tram network in that time.

Of those, 78,000 trips were recorded from the three new stations built along stage 2, including at Helensvale.

Gaven MP and Assistant Tourism Minister Meaghan Scanlon welcomed the figures.

"Since stage two was launched, we've seen a 25 per cent increase in patronage on the Gold Coast light rail — that's equal to 172,000 extra trips," she said.

"We're expecting more and more people will use the light rail service throughout the year as residents return from holidays and become familiar with their new public transport system.

The 7.3km, 11-minute journey along stage 2 connects the light and heavy rails together and allows people to travel from Brisbane to the beach by rail for the first time in more than 50 years.

GoldLinQ chairman John Witheriff, one of the leading figures in securing the tram extension, said patronage was "certainly above expectations" and that he expected numbers to increase significantly next month when the university semester begins.

"It's a big figure but we have not even seen Griffith University students come back yet so we won't see the true impact of it until then," he said

"We are anticipating an even greater level of take-up than what we are seeing now and these figures just reflect commuters, which is great.

"I think over the coming months we will see people from Pacific Pines and Coomera start to use the park and rides and use the tram which will also have a big impact on road usage.

"These figures have so far certainly exceeded out expectations."

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https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/953872288725712896

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https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/953904137418108928

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https://twitter.com/7NewsGoldCoast/status/957882248472096768

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https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/958866434649542656

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Gold Coast Bulletin --> Extra services for Gold Coast light rail during the 2018 Commonwealth Games

TRAMS will run along the Gold Coast line 24 hours a day as the central plank of the State Government's long-awaited transport plan for the Commonwealth Games.

The light rail's entire fleet will be put on the tracks to run all day and night during the 12-day event as the city's population briefly swells to more than 1 million people.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey will unveil the blueprint tomorrow for how the Gold Coast will keep moving during the Games. The light rail will be a key element.

A revamped timetable will come into effect in early April, increasing the frequency of trams arriving at stations to one every six minutes during peak periods in a bid to move more people across the 24km route.

"The trams will be running 24/7 throughout every day of the Games and it will connect a lot of key precincts," Mr Bailey said

"It will let people get on and off and get to the events and places they need to.

"There is going to be a massive influx of people during the Games, but we are confident we have done the planning to make sure this is an incredibly successful event."

Mr Bailey said he would base himself on the Gold Coast during the Games and would oversee the transport network personally.

Of the 18 available trams, 17 will be running on the network servicing customers at any one time, with the remaining tram on standby in case of a breakdown.

Mayor Tom Tate welcomed the news and said the increased services would make travel during the Games easier.

"It makes absolute sense for 24/7 light rail as the trams are the spine of our broader transport network," he said.

"During the Games we will be host to at least 670,000 new visitors, many from countries with modern transport systems.

"Let's make them feel welcome and give them the best Gold Coast experience they can have. All aboard."

The announcement comes on the back of new figures which show how busy the newly extended tram system was over the past six weeks.

Since launching on December 18, passenger trips recorded from the three new stations between Helensvale and the Gold Coast University Hospital had totalled 110,863 up until yesterday.

That was well up from the 78,000 trips announced by the Department of Transport and Main Roads just three weeks ago.

This increase has caused a 27 per cent spike in patronage across the entire system and Mr Bailey said it represented an extra 245,259 trips on the trams.

The 7.3km, 11-minute journey along stage 2 connects the light and heavy rails together at Helensvale and allows people to travel from Brisbane to the beach by rail for the first time in more than 50 years.

It is expected to be one of the major ways visitors from Brisbane will make their way to the city during the Games.

Mr Bailey will unveil the Commonwealth Games Transport Plan tomorrow.

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https://twitter.com/gclightrail/status/974125222252052481

[SurfRail]

The PnR is starting to see a serious work out too, even before the bridge opened.

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The Gold Coast Bulletin --> New figures show massive increase for Helensvale heavy rail

THE Helensvale heavy rail station had a 55 per cent increase in passengers in the year after the light rail connection began running to the northern Gold Coast suburb, according to new figures.

The figures come 12 months after the second stage of the light rail opened between the Gold Coast University Hospital and Helensvale.

Helensvale has become a hit with public transport with the light rail station the most popular on the line with a million passenger trips in a year.

In the past 12 months the light rail has taken passengers on 10.5 million trips compared to just 7.9m the year before.

The jump prompted Main Road Minister Mark Bailey to call for the Federal Fovernment to support stage 3A saying the numbers stacked up.

"These passenger numbers overwhelmingly point to the success of Stage 2 and I'm pleased to say we agree the numbers stack up to move ahead with the 6.7-km Stage 3A alignment between Broadbeach South light rail station and Burleigh Heads," he said.

Today marks 12 months since the second stage of the G: Link opened, with a spike in passenger trip since the connection. Since stage 2 opened, the Helensvale heavy rail station has been on the main benefactors.

The station experienced a 55 per cent jump with passenger trips from the station going from about 717,000 trips to about 1.1 million trips in just a year.

The G:Link travelled more than 700,0000km between Helensvale and the Gold Coast University Hospital in the first year.

The figures come as the state government prepares to take a business case to the federal government to provide funding stage 3A between Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads.

"Any decision around future Queensland Government funding for Stage 3A will depend on that evaluation and the ability to secure funding from both the Federal Government and City of Gold Coast," Mr Bailey said.

''If this projects receives the level of support we believe it should, then Stage 3A construction could start by 2020.''

Gaven MP Meaghan Scalon said since the light rail opened in July 2014 more than 36 million passenger trips were taken: "It's an impressive jump in growth when you consider passengers travelling for free during the Commonwealth Games were not included in that annual figure.

"It's been a really phenomenal year for light rail with about 1.1 million trips taken during the games, a record-breaking weekend for GC600 and now the 10.5 million passenger trips milestone."

The boost in use of public transport has not been isolated to the heavy and light rail systems. Figures from State Government show northern Gold Coast buses experienced a 42 per cent increase in passenger trips.

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1074331153102864385

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https://twitter.com/meaghan_scanlon/status/1074559029819596806

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http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2018/12/17/happy-tramiversary-for-games-light-rail

Media Statements

Minister for Transport and Main Roads

The Honourable Mark Bailey
Monday, December 17, 2018

Happy 'tramiversary' for Games light rail

This time last year, Gold Coasters were getting ready to 'Ride the G' as Stage 2 of the Glitterstrip's light rail extension carried commuters for the first time.

On Sunday 17 December 2017 more than 45,000 people came out to celebrate the opening of the 7.3 kilometre extension.

Twelve months on, Stage 2 has helped the G achieve the 10 million trip milestone within a calendar year.

Member for Gaven Meaghan Scanlon said the spike in passenger trips since the completion of Stage 2 meant light rail has now carried more than 36 million passengers since it opened in July 2014.

"In the 12 months prior to the Stage 2 launch, about 7.9 million trips were taken on the G Link," Ms Scanlon said.

"With the expansion of the light rail network ahead of the Commonwealth Games, that number has already grown to over 10.5 million trips in a year.

"It's an impressive jump in growth when you consider passengers travelling for free during the Commonwealth Games were not included in that annual figure.

"It's been a really phenomenal year for light rail with about 1.1 million trips taken during the games, a record-breaking weekend for GC600 and now the 10.5 million passenger trips milestone."

In the first year of Stage 2, trams travelled more 700,000 kilometres between Helensvale and Gold Coast University Hospital station with Helensvale proving the busiest new station, passing one million passenger trips by December this year.

Heavy Rail has also benefitted from Stage 2, with Helensvale station experiencing a 55 per cent increase in passenger trips (from about 717,000 to 1.1 million comparing 12 months before Stage 2 to the 12 months since).

Northern Gold Coast bus services connecting with light rail experienced a similar boost in patronage.

Local bus routes reconfigured to provide convenient connections with light rail recorded a 42 per cent increase in passenger trips on those routes*. (comparing the new configuration of routes 713, 719, 765 and TX7, to the former configuration of routes 713,719,720,765, TX1, TX2,TX3).

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the 10 million trip milestone in a single year showed trams had quickly been embraced as a unique part of the Coast's landscape and identity.

"These passenger numbers overwhelmingly point to the success of Stage 2 and I'm pleased to say we agree the numbers stack up to move ahead with the 6.7-kilometre Stage 3A alignment between Broadbeach South light rail station and Burleigh Heads.

"The detailed business case for stage 3A has been completed by Building Queensland in partnership with the Department of Transport and Main Roads.  The business case is expected to be considered by the Building Queensland Board this week.

"That evaluation will ensure the construction cost, job numbers, economic benefits, operating efficiencies, community and environmental impacts of the project are understood."

Mr Bailey said subject to the Building Queensland Board's consideration, the findings and recommendations will be considered by Government in early 2019.

"There are still steps we need to take at the tail end of getting ready for Stage 3A," Mr Bailey said.

"Any decision around future Queensland Government funding for Stage 3A will depend on that evaluation and the ability to secure funding from both the Federal Government and City of Gold Coast.

''If this projects receives the level of support we believe it should, then Stage 3A construction could start by 2020.''

ENDS

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Queensland Parliament

Notification of tabling 21st February 2020

Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 2 Works Deed (Attachment 2) between the State of Queensland and GoldLinQ 2 Pty Ltd, dated 28 April 2016
http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/docs/find.aspx?id=5620T324


Gold Coast Light Rail Project Modification Implementation Deed (Attachment 2) between the State of Queensland, G oldLinQ Pty Ltd and GoldLinQ 2 Pty Ltd, dated 28 April 2016
http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/docs/find.aspx?id=5620T325