Gold Coast Light Rail

[SurfRail]

Adelaide is around 2-3m per year.  There is a good chance it will be around the patronage level of both combined - obviously until CSELR starts running at which point it will be well and truly eclipsed, but our line I suspect is going to be considerably more reliable.

The parameters adopted for CSELR are not exactly lending themselves to the task it will be required to deal with, whereas up here we don't have to deal with trams every 2-3 minutes because we have a 12 hour plateau of activity instead of 2 big peaks and a long valley between.  Even if we did have trams running that frequently, by that point we would probably have branch lines to share the loadings away from the coastal strip, so again no biggie.  Meanwhile at Circular Quay rather than building a loop or a Melbourne Uni style shunt they are stuck with 3 stub platforms.  Fun times.

[ozbob]

Media release 6th May 2015

Gold Coast: Light rail on track!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has congratulated GoldLinq on reaching 5 million passengers on the Gold Coast Light Rail, known as the G:

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Public transport patronage on the Gold Coast has increased 22.6% since the G: commenced services."

"This is great news for the Gold Coast.  Frequent public transport mobilises the community, assists in congestion management and provides a safe alternative to cars."

"RAIL Back On Track congratulates GoldLinQ, the Gold Coast City Council and TransLink on reaching the 5 millionth passenger milestone in less than a year!"

"Light rail is a success story on the Gold Coast.  Stage 2 of the light rail will further consolidate the public transport transformation under-way. In time, the Gold Coast will be further transformed as a network of light rail develops throughout the region."

Reference:

1. http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/traffic-reports/gold-coast-light-rail-racks-up-major-milestone-with-5-million-passengers-inside-first-year/story-fnl6qvfc-1227336777196

Contacts:

Steven Jamieson
Gold Coast Region Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Five million people jump on board Gold Coast Light Rail since July 2014

More than five million commuters have now used the Gold Coast Light Rail - dubbed 'the G' - since the revolutionary tram service started on July 21, 2014.

That is an average of 17,800 commuters each day, well over the predicted figure of 16,000 expected two years after the service began.

The news was described on the Gold Coast this morning as an "exceptional achievement" by TransLink's Deputy Director-General Stephen Banaghan.

He said the new light rail service was becoming the new "public transport spine" of the Gold Coast.

"Five million paid trips on the trams is a significant milestone, especially reaching this level of patronage only nine months after services started on 21 July, 2014," Mr Banaghan said.

"That is almost the equivalent of every person in Queensland taking a ride on the G," he said.

Mr Banaghan said this compared very favourably with a similar light rail project in Edinburgh which also opened in 2014.

"A comparable system at 14km is the Edinburgh light rail that counted 1.5 million passengers in its first 100 days after opening in May 2014," Mr Banaghan said.

"The G reached over 1.74 million passengers in its first 100 days after opening."

Mr Banaghan said the increase in people using the light rail had not come at the expense of people using the Gold Coast's bus services.

"What the Gold Coast trams have created is a measurable and real global increase in commuters using both trams and buses across the whole network," he said.

"Statistics for the whole of the Gold Coast indicate a very significant global increase in public transport," he said.

"Patronage increased more than 22.6 per cent in the first 8 months, for both buses and trains, since the G and the bus network changes started."

GoldLinQ CEO Phil Mumford said the new bus routes which started in July 2014 improved the connections between the light rail trams, Gold Coast buses and trains.

"It really has created a more integrated public transport network on the Gold Coast," he said.

Many of the 20,000 students at the Gold Coast' Griffith University campus at Southport are using the service.

Translink figures show the number of passengers - students, hospital staff and visitors - using the G at Griffith University Hospital campus stop jumping markedly during university semesters.

"When the university semester started, we noticed an increase of 34.1 per cent in passengers per day at this station," a spokeswoman said.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

7th May 2015

Greetings,

Praise for Light Rail success highlights bus reform need

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has praised authorities on the Gold Coast Light Rail's hands-down success.

When this Light Rail project was first conceived, we observed significant community opposition and scepticism. We are therefore very pleased that the Gold Coast Light Rail has now carried five million passengers since opening. Patronage will no doubt grow with future connections to Helensvale Rail Station, Gold Coast Airport and Tweed Heads.

We would like to take this opportunity to praise the Department of Transport and Main Roads, TransLink and Gold Coast City Council for their role in funding, planning and re-organising the bus network to feed light rail. We also acknowledge the funding contribution made by the Australian Government to this nation-building public transport project.

The Gold Coast City Council will be a key player in the funding and success of future light rail extensions because it is uniquely positioned to capture increases in land value due to the Light Rail through its council rates and existing public transport levy. Gold Coast City Council should consider renaming the public transport levy to Light Rail Extension Levy, and set aside funds each year for future extensions.

RAIL Back on Track notes that the Gold Coast Light Rail has increased patronage on buses, and has done so within the same high-fares environment that also applies to Brisbane City Council's buses. This suggests the declining patronage of Brisbane City Council's buses cannot be fully explained by the high fares, but a lack of basic bus network reform.

Importantly, so-called 'forced' interchanges, the kind of which Lord Mayor Graham Quirk vocally opposes, have been introduced as part of the Light Rail, where previously there were none. The Gold Coast Light Rail's success shows that a connections-based bus network connecting together with rail does indeed work and will increase patronage. The buses support the Light Rail and the Light Rail supports the buses. The network is also simpler when many random routes are replaced by a single, more frequent, line. This is basic public transport planning 101.

We call on Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's to drop his policy against bus connections and announce Auckland-style bus reforms for the Brisbane bus network. Introducing smart connections at key interchange points such as at Mitchelton, Morningside, Coopers Plains, Darra and Indooroopilly will improve the Brisbane bus network, make it work with existing rail and guarantee low cost, abundant public transport for all.

Once again, we thank the Department of Transport and Main Roads, TransLink, Gold Coast City Council and GoldLinQ for a project well done. We hope that similar, fundamental bus network changes are applied to Brisbane.

Reference:

Five million people jump on board Gold Coast Light Rail since July 2014
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/five-million-people-jump-on-board-gold-coast-light-rail-since-july-2014-20150506-ggviij.html

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Media release 6th May 2015

Gold Coast: Light rail on track!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has congratulated GoldLinq on reaching 5 million passengers on the Gold Coast Light Rail, known as the G:

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Public transport patronage on the Gold Coast has increased 22.6% since the G: commenced services."

"This is great news for the Gold Coast.  Frequent public transport mobilises the community, assists in congestion management and provides a safe alternative to cars."

"RAIL Back On Track congratulates GoldLinQ, the Gold Coast City Council and TransLink on reaching the 5 millionth passenger milestone in less than a year!"

"Light rail is a success story on the Gold Coast.  Stage 2 of the light rail will further consolidate the public transport transformation under-way. In time, the Gold Coast will be further transformed as a network of light rail develops throughout the region."

Reference:

1. http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/traffic-reports/gold-coast-light-rail-racks-up-major-milestone-with-5-million-passengers-inside-first-year/story-fnl6qvfc-1227336777196

Contacts:

Steven Jamieson
Gold Coast Region Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

http://media.brisbanetimes.com.au/video-news/video-qld-news/drunk-driver-stuck-on-tram-tracks-6522821.html

Drunk driver stuck on tram tracks (00:58)

A man "very much" regrets recording a blood alcohol reading of .224 when he drove 500 metres along Gold Coast tram tracks before getting stuck. Nine News

[SurfRail]

2 articles from the GCB:

M1 and major roads need upgrade according to new GC State of the Transport Network report

New report finds tram passenger numbers up, urges for future stages to airport

Collectively:

- Too much pressure on the M1 due to lack of alternative corridors to serve a local function (correct)
- City is committed to not increasing the road footprint in built up areas but on improvements to intersections, signalling and flow (thumbs up)
- 22% PT patronage increase since last year and trams have a mode share of 28% of the total, with patronage of around 1 million every 2 months
- More calls for investment from the State and Feds (which will go on deaf ears of course).

[pandmaster]

What a disgrace that public transport was not mentioned at all.

Regarding relieving congestion on the M1:

• 15 minute all day frequency (I assume with NGR and the last stage of duplication will go ahead)
• Extend GCLR to Helensvale (coordinate with rail service to Brisbane)
• Second rail river crossing to improve capacity and travel times

See how that goes before spending a single dollar on the M1.

[SurfRail]

It's not the M1 that needs the funding - it's the fact it is serving a significant local travel function because of the lack of adjacent or alternative arterials.  3 lanes to Tugun is really all that is needed, ever.

The train is going to mainly help out with peak congestion, but the reality is the worst congestion on the M1 happens north of Beenleigh and not locally.

[pandmaster]

It's not the M1 that needs the funding

I hope that state and federal governments think the same way. The easiest thing to do to "fix" the congestion would be to whack more lanes on the M1, rather than improve PT or improve arterial roads on the Gold Coast.

[Golliwog]

It's not the M1 that needs the funding - it's the fact it is serving a significant local travel function because of the lack of adjacent or alternative arterials.  3 lanes to Tugun is really all that is needed, ever.

The train is going to mainly help out with peak congestion, but the reality is the worst congestion on the M1 happens north of Beenleigh and not locally.

It's been known that the M1 on the GC has been serving a local travel function for years. It was pointed out as something that needed fixing back when I did my intro the transport engineering class at UQ back in 08 or 09 (bit fuzzy which year it was). But either way, the number of developments that have sprouted off each exit but contain no 'main' road network in the north south direction is nuts.

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Collisions, near misses continue as drivers struggle to deal with trams on the roads

TRAM drivers are facing one collision or near miss each week with Gold Coast drivers continuing to break road rules around the light rail track.

Figures obtained by Nine News reveal 11 collisions and 68 near misses have occurred on the Gold Coast tramline in the last 10 months.

CCTV shows a truck and tram collision at Broadbeach and crashes occurring after drivers attempt an illegal U-turn over the tracks.

New signs and signals have been installed around the network reminding drivers of the trams but GoldLinQ CEO Phil Mumford said the incidents could only be avoided if people followed the road rules.

"Simply do not do an illegal U-turn, do not cross when it's red, obey all the traffic signs out there and everybody can be perfectly safe," he said.

The trams began taking passengers on the Gold Coast in July last year and a number of drivers have since needed their cars lifted off the tracks.

The Sundale Bridge track is among the worst areas with multiple drivers finding themselves stuck after driving onto the tracks at Ada Bell Way and continuing up past the Broadwater Parklands station.

Luckily nobody has been seriously injured in any of the incidents.

Area councillor Dawn Crichlow said increased signage was helping the situation.

"We've had people come and turn left and go straight onto the track but now the signage is much better," she told Nine News.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Advocates of Sydney's George Street light rail can take lessons from the Gold Coast

[colinw]

The Bulletin ->
Light rail stage two stopped in its tracks by government asset sale fight

Not a single leader in the whole sorry bunch.  Sometimes I hate this country.  Except you see the same tawdry politics around public transport at play in the whole Anglosphere.

[#Metro]

The Asset Sale issue is a red herring and a crutch. I think they really intend on spending 3 years NOT funding infrastructure because with their policies they actually don't have the funds and need to make savings. So what they are going to do is not spend rather than increase taxes, borrow or sell/lease.

That I think is the strategy. It's the same old rot we have before under red and blue team. Push the horizon out for an announced project.

Asset sales are irrelevant

If I have a $1BN asset (let's make something up - a power station for example), I can sell it and get paid $1 BN for it. I forgo the future revenue stream (which economically is also $1BN). (And no, power prices will not be pushed up or down by this as power priced depend on the National Electricity Market and are gov't regulated)

If I have a $1BN asset and I don't sell/lease it. I can borrow against the asset and get $1BN. I pay interest on my borrowing BUT I have the future revenue stream also, from which I can pay the interest repayments from.

The two scenarios are roughly equivalent. They are different ways to do the same thing.

NOW it gets even more interesting in the Gold Coast Light Rail scenario. Why? Because there are multiple sources of funding:

1. Gold Coast City Council - most of the benefits are accruing to Gold Coast residents, and hence GCCC can fund extensions to the LRT system from rates. This is useful as the LRT system increases land values which in turn, increases GCCC rates revenue.

2. LAND TAX (same as for 1, but on a State Government level)

3. PRIVATE FINANCING - GoldLinQ have already said that they are happy to extend the LRT if their contracts are extended and recover the cost over a long period of time from operating payments.

4. DEVELOPMENT - further development and TOD around LRT stations could also assist funding here.

5. QLD Govt can borrow. At record low interest rates!


The Government will go down like a stone if it thinks it can ride out the next 3 years blaming the Federal Government for the lack of action. It's almost as bad as when Newman was in and saying 'Oh, we can't fund XYZ because of Red Team's previous debt black hole.'

[SurfRail]

Sigh.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Gold Coast Mayor gives frank advice on extending light rail project

...And finally there is the future of stage two of the Gold Coast's light rail project.

In March 2015, Tate said if a decision was not reached by the end of that month it would be too late to build the connection to the main Brisbane rail line before the Commonwealth Games.

The Federal Coalition Government did not contribute any money to stage two in its budget, although the Federal Labor Government did contribute to stage one.

Gold Coast City Council did not contribute any money in its budget.

All eyes are on the Queensland Government.

Tate remained measured in his comments.

"They have the business case," he said.

"I would say that if I was the State Government I would have already have pushed the button."

The answer, according to Tate, is more involvement from the private sector.

His measured tones left the room.

"If the federal government keeps saying 'No', alright tell them to 'f—k off'," he says in frank terms.

"Get the private enterprise involved and ask them 'What do they need'?"

"I know what they want!"

Tate said the consortium that had built stage one would ask for 25 years to cover the construction costs and generate a profit instead of 15 years.

Tate said that form of public private partnership – which delivered stage one – was the direction forward.

"That is the model I would go for.

"However in qualifying that, I recognise that the state government is the lead agency and here at the City of the Gold Coast well, that is just a friendly suggestion."

[ozbob]

Been booked for an interview 6PR 882 for an interview on GC LR success (at 10.30am our time).

Appears WA Premier is trying to suggest it is not a success ... 

[ozbob]

Been booked for an interview 6PR 882 for an interview on GC LR success (at 10.30am our time).

Appears WA Premier is trying to suggest it is not a success ... 

Thanks Gary & 6PR .  Always good to chat about success..   

[SurfRail]

Good.

I don't know where they are coming from over there.

YES - it doesn't carry the 45,000 per day originally intended.  It also didn't cost $350m to build.  There are many, many reasons why these aren't true, including but not limited to:

- Fares
- GFC and downturn in retail
- Patronage or patronage growth falling everywhere (including but not limited to Transperth services)
- The fact the line was not built to its full extent
- The ridiculous inflation in construction costs in a very short timeframe
- Better scoping of the project
- Needing to apply federal money up front through "early works" packages

The system is meeting its revised mandate well and truly, and has driven a patronage boom for the GC entirely comparable to what the Mandurah line delivered for Perth given our relative sizes.

[ozbob]

Yo!  I mentioned GCCC State of Transport report etc. etc. Patronage going very well and how it has driven PT increases on all modes.  Also suggested that too much public transport in Oz is at political whims and they would be better off seeking the counsel of the transport experts eg. academics, Transwa and Transperth staff etc. rather than ill informed politicians.

A Perth TV crew is chasing now as a result of the interview.  Being budget day here it might be difficult to get a crew, but clearly what I said has resonated ... 

Perth folks are not silly.  They know that the anti-GC LR spin is just that.

[SurfRail]

Unfortunately I doubt the success of the system will find any expression in today's budget which will have $0.00 set aside for expansion.

[#Metro]

1. What has he been saying and where?
2. What are the facts?

[SurfRail]

As I (sadly) expected, there is not going to be any light rail / heavy rail connection for 2018. 

I would suggest that even if they get very generous next year, or there is a change in government in Canberra to one willing to fund it, the earliest we will see anything might be 2021 - just in time for the 6th anniversary of when it was meant to be open all the way to Coolangatta...

[Fares_Fair]

Better chance of it than Sunshine Coast line duplication... 

[ozbob]

1 Year of G: Happy birthday

>> http://ridetheg.com.au/1-year-of-g-happy-birthday/

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Link hits the G spot for Gold Coast as Exclusive figures show light rail's first year a success

GOLD Coasters have voted with their feet and made more than 6 million trips on the light rail system during its first year.

The $1.2 billion tram system today marks one year since it first took passengers and the Bulletin can reveal patronage figures have exceeded the wildest expectations of GoldLinQ and political leaders.

Figures show 6.18 million trips were made on the 13km system across 365 days – or around 18,200 trips each day.

This was far beyond the 5.70 million expected before launch, with the State Government now tipping close to 7 million in the next year.

These figures do not include the 80,000 people who used the trams on its free trial day one year ago. That figure was also above the forecast 50-70,000 users expected.


State Government budget papers show the trams have powered a 25 per cent spike in public transport usage on the Gold Coast and slashed patronage on buses.

Figures show the light rail has become so successful that it fell just short of exceeding the number of passengers on Brisbane's CityCat ferry system.

Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Jackie Trad said the tram system had become the "backbone of the Gold Coast's transport network".

"Gold Coast light rail is a transformative piece of infrastructure that has helped to change the way people get around the Coast," she said.

"The trams have travelled more than one million kilometres and driven a 25 per cent increase in public transport patronage on the Coast in the first year alone.

"Patronage continues to exceed expectations, with an average of more than 18,200 trips made on Gold Coast light rail each day."

The success of the first year has added to the momentum for a deal to be struck to make the second stage, linking trams to trains, a reality.

Mayor Tom Tate, speaking from the UK, demanded the state and federal Governments "do the math" and fund the link between Griffith University and Helensvale.

"Everyone needs to do the math because these figures show there is no need for a feasibility study because we have a reality study," he said.

"These figures show it will only grow in the future and I do not know of any business, be it public or private, that has been so much more successful than the prediction.

"This is a dream come true ... we need to do stage two soon, and start planning for a future link to the airport.

"It is a no-brainer."

An exclusive Bulletin Gold Coast Pulse survey found more than 82 per cent of respondents would like to see trams and trains linked, connecting the city through its burgeoning northern suburbs to Brisbane.

GoldLinQ boss Phil Mumford said he was looking forward to seeing patronage figures grow.

"G:link's first birthday today is a fantastic milestone and everyone involved in getting the project to this point should be very proud of what has been achieved," he said.

"We look forward to increasing this patronage ... particularly as the city grows around the light rail, proving the value of this type of city building infrastructure".

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

20th July 2015

Happy Birthday Gold Coast Light Rail!



RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web-based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers congratulates the Gold Coast Light Rail system on its first successful year of operation (1).

From July 2014 to June 2015, Gold Coast trams have carried over 6 million passenger trips, more than the equivalent bus services did prior to the system opening.  Early indications are that this could reach nearly 7 million for the 2015/2016 financial year (2, 3).

There is clearly a case for funding the second and subsequent stages of the system to connect with the Gold Coast line heavy rail service at Helensvale to the north and further south along the Gold Coast Highway.

May the second and subsequent years be even more successful!

Contacts:

Steven Jamieson
Gold Coast Region Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

1. 1 YEAR OF G: HAPPY BIRTHDAY
http://ridetheg.com.au/1-year-of-g-happy-birthday/

2. Queensland Budget 2015/2016 - Service Delivery Statements (Department of Transport and Main Roads) p 15
http://www.budget.qld.gov.au/budget-papers/documents/bp5-tmr-2015-16.pdf

3. Link hits the G spot for Gold Coast as Exclusive figures show light rail's first year a success
http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/traffic-reports/link-hits-the-g-spot-for-gold-coast-as-exclusive-figures-show-light-rails-first-year-a-success/story-fnl6qvfc-1227448259597

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Tracking the benefits of light rail

>> http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/tracking-the-benefits-of-light-rail-23040.html

[ozbob]

AFR Weekend --> Light rail drives growth on Sunset Strip

... Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate was a self-confessed sceptic about the tram project, fearing it would cost a lot more than a rapid bus network. But he's been won over, saying it was helping the development of Australia's sixth-largest city in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games.

"I have been pleasantly surprised. But with 6 million people you must be doing something right. The Gold Coast is a linear city and the light rail is the spine of our transport network now," he said ...

[red dragin]

Been riding the previously labbelled "white elepgant" today.

~9.30am Surfers to Southport - half of the seats full
~10.30am Southport to Broadbeach - seats full with varying standing loads, between 2 & 8 people per car at different points
~12.30pm Broadbeach back to Surfers - full seats and comfortably standing but all isles occupied.

Listening to a lady probably in her sixties talk to people who sat across from her about how great it is 

The most interesting observation is just how many locals where on board, and not your typical Sunday PT users.

Also, whilst we where admiring the easy to use timetables and locality maps, a G staff member approached us to see if we needed a hand. Just thanked him and commended the ease to use of the charts.

A real success.

[SurfRail]

You want to see a real contrast?

Try waiting at Cavill Avenue and at the Cultural Centre in the same day and compare the passenger experience... 

[red dragin]

There was a group of about 80 people leaving the convention centre heading towards us on the last tram, fortunately they missed the lights!

Had a young lady in her early 20s give up her seat so the three of us could sit together. Also had a guy trying to sit in my wife's seat before she was completely out of it too 

Overall a much better level of "clientele" than a Sunday Caboolture train.  Didn't notice any graffiti or damage to the trams too.

[ozbob]

Twitter

GoldLinQ ‏@gclightrail  6m

Safety tip: G:link trams weigh as much as 40 rhinos #bewaretherhino #safety http://ow.ly/QJT0c 



====================

http://ridetheg.com.au/rhino/

RHINOS LET LOOSE ON THE TRACKS
Imagine a herd of 40 rhinos on skateboards cruising through the middle of the Gold Coast. Now imagine stepping out right in front of them.

This is a scenario that could playout on Gold Coast streets, only it's not a herd of rhinos, it's the Gold Coast light rail. G:link trams weigh as much as 40 rhinos and are just as difficult to stop.

Trams have been running for just over a year and many of the incidents we encounter are a result of drivers or pedestrians being careless around the trams. But people must recognise that because of their size trams need to be treated with respect – G:link trams weigh as much as 40 rhinos and can also create just as much damage.

So, G:link is bringing Spike the rhino from Melbourne's famous tram network up to the Gold Coast to encourage people to stay alert: when walking or driving, always look out for trams.

[SurfRail]

God, this will get Bill Hauff apoplectic.

[red dragin]

We saw the sign written tram with this message on it - even as an observant person it really sent the message home to be careful around them.

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Construction costs deter proposed light rail spur line to The Spit

GOLD Coast rail lobby groups have warned against pressuring developers for contributions to fund a light rail spur line to The Spit should development boom in the area.
With the area now subject to a twin-tower development application from Sunland, along with early proposals from Singaporean-based ASF for an integrated resort and Hong Kong businessman Tony Fung's possible redevelopment of the Sheraton Mirage, the area could go from hidden gem to high-rise haven in a matter of years.

However, the Gold Coast spokesman for rail advocate group Rail Back on Track said going to developers for a contribution for a light rail spur line out to The Spit could have a blowback effect.

Steven Jamieson said while he did not have an engineering background, he couldn't see any technical issue with running a line from the Main Beach station along Waterways Dr and out to Seaworld Dr.

"It's only 3km and there's a reasonable amount of public domain land," he said.

However, Mr Jamieson said in his experiences developers were wary of paying any more than they had to for a project and any funds for light rail expansion would be better spent expanding the route south.

"Developers are reticent to pay a cent more than they have to," he said. "To fund light rail at the moment I would estimate it's about $60 million a kilometre on the cheap side. Also you have to add in extra rolling stock plus resumption and some pretty severe disruptions to the highway during construction. So there's a question whether the cost will outweigh the benefit. In our mind that cost would be better put to heading south. Getting to Coolangatta and the airport are the bigger priorities and after that other opportunities will present themselves."

[SurfRail]

The focus of the discussion for that article was very much about The Spit rather than developers per se. 

It's just the reality.  If you expect developers to have to pay for anything more than a trivial portion of the cost of something as expensive as a $200m tram extension, they will laugh at you and go elsewhere.  There is certainly a legitimate expectation that they should pay, but they aren't a cash cow.

People would be surprised how thin the profit margins on residential development can actually be - in many cases it is barely different from the return you would get buying and holding onto a unit in the developer's project (which is in the very low single digits).

[ozbob]

Spot on SurfRail.  It makes a lot of sense and heading south is a much >> priority.  Well done!   

[Jonno]

The focus of the discussion for that article was very much about The Spit rather than developers per se. 

It's just the reality.  If you expect developers to have to pay for anything more than a trivial portion of the cost of something as expensive as a $200m tram extension, they will laugh at you and go elsewhere.  There is certainly a legitimate expectation that they should pay, but they aren't a cash cow.

People would be surprised how thin the profit margins on residential development can actually be - in many cases it is barely different from the return you would get buying and holding onto a unit in the developer's project (which is in the very low single digits).

This should not be looked as an additional cost but the prioritisation of the use of existing contributions.  We don't have a funding issue we have a prioritisation issue!!!