Gold Coast Light Rail

[#Metro]

People on 80k consider themselves low income, people on 200k a year consider themselves middle income

Isn't the average australian wage 50K per year. So a couple would have 100 k per year.

We earn a lot.

Complainers... maybe all that money is going into house prices...

[colinw]

The Bulletin -> Rising Southport a national hot spot

SOUTHPORT has been named as a national hot spot for investors, but Gold Coast experts think the spotlight should be also shining on several other city suburbs including Ashmore and Benowa.

Southport was the only Gold Coast location to make it into the Australian Property Investor Hot 100, which is part of the August edition out this week.

The suburb's affordability and central location were the main reasons for its inclusion, but the magazine also highlighted the light rail project that will link Southport to Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, along with the nearby development of the Gold Coast University Hospital at Parklands.

LJ Hooker Southport principal Alex McCormack said he believed the suburb was about to boom.

"We are in for a good run, thanks to everything that is happening here in the way of infrastructure," he said.

"Part of the reason is that prices have come back and Southport is very affordable."

Ray White Surfers Paradise chief executive Andrew Bell agreed Southport was a great place to invest, but argued places such as Ashmore, Santa Barbara, Coomera and Broadbeach Waters also offered good value.

"Southport has been the sleeper on the Gold Coast," he said.

"It was the premier suburb 30 or 40 years ago.

"But then places like Surfers Paradise became popular."

Mr Bell rated Santa Barbara as one of the city's best-kept property secrets due to its private location tucked in behind Sanctuary Cove and said it had a great village atmosphere.

Ashmore's centrality and elevated, older homes make it worthy of mention, said Mr Bell, who also identified Broadbeach Waters for its investment potential.

[SurfRail]

I had the day off for various appointments at home on the GC and spent quite a bit of time traversing the corridor between Southport and Griffith Uni back and forth by bus.  Any doubt about the project proceeding should be well and truly dispelled by a quick tour!

Lots of activity going on all over this stretch.  Congestion did not seem to be inordinately worse than what I have always remembered from the AM peak into Southport, although it probably was a bit of a longer trip along Nerang Street.  The Uni Hospital station shell at the end of the line is pretty much constructed and has been gated off.

Everybody seemed to be managing alright while this was going on.  Any streetfront vacancies in Southport probably have little to do with the construction work and more the prevailing economic climate on the Coast, which is a bit dour right now - plenty of shops have been vacant for years anyway. 

There's a very big and noticeable Korean presence in the Southport CBD these days, and I'm sure they will appreciate good transit on their business/home doorstep even if the squeakier wheels might not.

[cartoonbirdhaus]

Complainers... maybe all that money is going into house prices

A lot of income is being poured into staying indoors. And other essentials have become ridiculously expensive (as are many discretionary things, for that matter). But people claiming to be "strugglin'" on $150K? Fire up the microscope: I'm about to play the World's Smallest Violin!

[SurfRail]

First light rail station complete
Matthew Killoran   |  July 29th, 2011

AFTER 12 months of construction of the Gold Coast Rapid Transit project the first light-rail station shell is complete - but don't get your tram tickets out just yet.

The $33 million underground Gold Coast University Hospital Station shell is the bare bones of what will be a state-of-the-art light-rail stop at Parklands Drive.

It was opened this morning two months ahead of schedule by Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszcuk.

''Once fully operational and fitted out with lifts, escalators and toilet facilities, the station will act as the main bus interchange at the end of the light-rail line in Parklands Drive,'' she said.

The light-rail service is not expected to be running until mid-to-late 2014.

The works on the station shell were completed this year to avoid disrupting the Gold Coast University Hospital, which is expected to open next year.

Station shell project manager Peter Stanford said enough dirt was excavated from the site to fill 14 Olympic-sized swimming pools.



Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk and Project Manager Peter Stanford inspect the Gold Coast University Hospital Station shell. Photo: Kit de Guymer

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2011/07/29/336665_gold-coast-news.html

[ozbob]

Transport and Multicultural Affairs
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

Friday, July 29, 2011

Gold Coast light rail - University Hospital Station shell completed

The first milestone for the Gold Coast light rail project has been reached with the construction of the Gold Coast University Hospital Station shell finishing two months ahead of schedule.

Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk, who inspected the $33 million station this morning, said the light rail project is quickly becoming a reality.

"Main works on the station are now complete, ahead of schedule and on budget," she said.

"Once fully operational and fitted out with lifts, escalators and toilet facilities, the station will act as the main bus interchange at the end of the light rail line in Parklands Drive."

Ms Palaszczuk said Leighton Contractors had a team of up to 120 people on site daily over the last 11 months.

"Putting in more than 120,000 work hours they created the roof, walls and floor that will form the base structure of the light rail project's only underground station," she said.

Member for Broadwater Peta-Kaye Croft said the project has been good news for local business operators and workers.

"So far, the Gold Coast Rapid Transit project has invested more than $35 million in the local community, sourcing labour and materials for three government funded early works packages," Ms Croft said.

"I'm happy to report that more than 79 percent of the workforce delivering the construction and roadworks activities is locally based," she said.

Member for Southport Peter Lawlor said work on the station started in July 2010 to coincide with construction of the Gold Coast University Hospital to minimise disruption at the precinct after the hospital's expected 2012 opening.

"Residents have been very patient while these crucial infrastructure projects are underway," he said.

"But in 2014 this station will service the 20,000-plus student population at Griffith University and staff and visitors to the new hospital.

"We'll have a light rail network that will be the envy of the nation."

Preliminary survey works on the project will start next month with major construction starting early next year.

The remaining two early works packages in Southport and Broadbeach are continuing despite the unusually wet summer and are on target to be completed in later this year.

There will be 16 stations along the light rail route, and by 2026, 11 per cent of the Gold Coast population will be located within walking distance of the Stage One corridor. A further 50,000 to 60,000 overnight visitors will also have access to the system.

The Gold Coast Rapid Transit project is the largest transport infrastructure project undertaken on the Gold Coast.

Stage one is a 13-kilometre dedicated light rail corridor that will link Southport and Broadbeach passing through Surfers Paradise.

For more information visit the project website www.goldcoastrapidtransit.qld.gov.au

[O_128]

"We'll have a light rail network that will be the envy of the nation."

The word "network" implies connectivity to other forms of transport. Stopping short of Helensvale means a large proportion of people will continue to drive. Lets hope that Gold Coast gets the commonwealth games as an excuse to build the extension ASAP!

[ozbob]

From GoldCoast.com.au click here!

Light rail builder to lease space

Light rail builder to lease space

  |  August 19th, 2011

ONE of the companies behind the construction of the Gold Coast's rapid transit project has leased space in a Bay St commercial building.

McConnell Dowell, which is building the light rail project as part of a consortium with fellow members Bombardier Transportation and KDR Gold Coast, has leased 1213sq m spread over three floors at 7 Bay St.

The deal will allow building owner RJH Holdings to put out the no vacancy sign on the building.

The company has taken the space for an undisclosed term at $395/sq m.

Ed Howard, of Colliers International, said the building, which was completed in early 2010, was previously 50 per cent leased with French Lawyers taking one floor, and ADCO Constructions taking the top two floors of the seven-storey building.

The building was constructed by ADCO Constructions as a flagship project for their corporate office design capabilities.

Mr Howard said the offices would be used for the construction planning of the Gold Coast Rapid Transit System over the next several years.

He said the deal was another sign the Coast's office market could be on the road to recovery.

"The office market in general on the Gold Coast remains depressed, however with no new supply being introduced and based on recent negotiations, a positive absorption figure of about 8000sq m has been evident during the first half of 2011," he said.

[ozbob]

http://goldcoastrapidtransit.qld.gov.au/

Light Rail Mail 6 September 2011 now available --> http://goldcoastrapidtransit.qld.gov.au/the-project/resources/

[ozbob]

On September 24 some members undertook a tour of the Gold Coast Rapid Transit project early works.

Some photographs

Light rail It is very obvious why light rail is needed.















Photographs R Dow 24th September 2011

[O_128]

My parents now live in soutport about a 10 min walk from the route, They and all there friends who are 4w driving road lovers have all said they will use the light rail when it opens, when I ask them why they don't use the bus they reply with not knowing where it is or the frequency etc, light rail was the perfect choice for the coast and is going to go mental when it opens.

[SurfRail]

My parents now live in soutport about a 10 min walk from the route, They and all there friends who are 4w driving road lovers have all said they will use the light rail when it opens, when I ask them why they don't use the bus they reply with not knowing where it is or the frequency etc, light rail was the perfect choice for the coast and is going to go mental when it opens.

The Gold Coast Highway corridor between Pacific Fair and Southport is already a touch more frequent that GCRT will be, but that is only on paper, and once you leave the immediate corridor you don't have access to anything like a BUZ or similar.  Some individual services will operate until late at night, but not more than half-hourly at best and usually only until mid-evening at that.  Where you have multiple services (eg 703/709/715 to get to Harbour Town), there is bunching either by virtue of the timetable or road conditions.

The advantage of not having 6-7 routes to remember, having to remember which of those enters Pacific Fair or bypasses Southport, and having the infrastructure to support consistent headwaysm will offer a dramatic improvement from day 1.

[O_128]

My parents now live in soutport about a 10 min walk from the route, They and all there friends who are 4w driving road lovers have all said they will use the light rail when it opens, when I ask them why they don't use the bus they reply with not knowing where it is or the frequency etc, light rail was the perfect choice for the coast and is going to go mental when it opens.

The Gold Coast Highway corridor between Pacific Fair and Southport is already a touch more frequent that GCRT will be, but that is only on paper, and once you leave the immediate corridor you don't have access to anything like a BUZ or similar.  Some individual services will operate until late at night, but not more than half-hourly at best and usually only until mid-evening at that.  Where you have multiple services (eg 703/709/715 to get to Harbour Town), there is bunching either by virtue of the timetable or road conditions.

The advantage of not having 6-7 routes to remember, having to remember which of those enters Pacific Fair or bypasses Southport, and having the infrastructure to support consistent headwaysm will offer a dramatic improvement from day 1.

agreed hopefully the PIAs onboard have change here for buses to .....

[colinw]

Here's an opinion piece in the bulletin. As is usual for light rail articles in the Bulletin, the anti-light rail comments abound from the usual handful of vocal protestors, with Steven Jamieson flying the flag for the 'good guys'.

The Gold Coast Bulletin -> Light rail revolution

Shannon Willoughby   |  October 27th, 2011

SENIOR blogger Shannon Willoughby can't wait for the light rail project to be completed so she can save money on taxi fares and parking tickets.

LAST week I was slapped with a $50 parking ticket after going to a lunch where local businessman John Witheriff spoke about the Light Rail project.

The hefty fee made me all the more keen to see the project completed. I had parked in the Kurrawa Surf Life Saving Club car park.

Last time I check there was no time limit on that car park.

If it wasn't the day before GC600 and if a cab didn't cost me $20 to travel two kilometres, maybe I would have jumped on a bus.

But I hate buses. Even more so after attempting to catch one at the weekend race and the driver slammed the door shut in my face after watching me run like a fool to catch it.

John Witheriff was speaking at the Restaurant Industry Support Gold Coast In c luncheon.

The chairman of GoldLinQ -- the company which has been contracted to build the transport system -- described the light rail as a city-changing project.

He assured the 100-odd restaurant owners that while there's disruption now, the system would pay off.

And they were most pleased to hear that. I've no doubt many of them would be feeling the affects of construction as the work continues to disrupt the flow on some roads along the city.

He said the pay-off would happen when people began to travel more between precincts, like Surfers, Southport and Broadbeach, because of the ease, affordability and accessibility.

In addition to that, the regional plan targets more than 143,000 new dwellings and 97,000 infill dwellings by 2031. The infill dwellings will need to be built along the strip, close to the existing infrastructure.

By then, commercial jobs will grow by 100 per cent and the city's population will have grown by a further 50 per cent.

Mr Witheriff said it was important that the city's population grew in areas which already had social and transport infrastructure.

``We don't want to become like Sydney's Macquarie Fields out in Beaudesert where we are dealing with social issues because we don't have the relevant infrastructure,'' he said.

Mr Witheriff said the city needed to generate the supply and create the demand and that would be helped by the completion of light rail.

He said the challenge for the city would be making the next cycle of people to move here the ability to access the light rail.

He said some companies were preparing for the project's completion, moving into commercial spaces that were on the light rail.

``We will be able to travel easily between precincts -- something we don't do very often now. It will be like Swanston Street in Melbourne,'' he said.

``It will change the way this city operates.''

And thank God for that.

Some quick facts about the light rail -- it can hold 300 people, moving 40 people per minute.

With Griffith University home to some 20,000 student -- assuming many of them will use it -- that's a considerable number of people it will move at any one time. Add a couple of tourism and business precincts to that and we've got a successful project.

According to Mr Witheriff, the addition of light rail will mean there will be more buses to service the east-west routes.

It is in the plan to take the line to Helensvale and the Gold Coast Airport.

Some people would like to see it head even further north to Coomera and maybe even have an east-west link sometime down the track too.

Let's just hope the tiers of government come up with the goods for all of that.

As for me, well as soon as it's built I'll be ditching the cars and cabs for travel to those restaurants along the strip.

Those damn parking inspectors won't be getting another dollar -- or $50 -- out of me.

[O_128]

As Ive said, my parents can't wait for the light rail, they live near the southport section and despise buses. Light rail is the perfect solution for a tourist city, you know where its going and where its stopping.

[ozbob]

As Ive said, my parents can't wait for the light rail, they live near the southport section and despise buses. Light rail is the perfect solution for a tourist city, you know where its going and where its stopping.

[Jonno]

Did anyone read the article recently about the night works causing problem which had the quote complaining about it that went something like "ever since the work started I have had to walk the 2 block to drop the kids at school instead of being able to drive".  About sums it up for our society today!!!!

[SurfRail]

Here's an opinion piece in the bulletin. As is usual for light rail articles in the Bulletin, the anti-light rail comments abound from the usual handful of vocal protestors, with Steven Jamieson flying the flag for the 'good guys'.

That guy seems to have a lot of time on his hands.  Must have been a slow day today...  

[colinw]

 

[Gazza]

Get in!!!! 



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[ozbob]

 

[Mr X]

 

[O_128]

If more people were like that we would have a much better functioning state, As Ive said the 200 million should have been 10 million for 20 complete rebuilds rather than little bits here and there, But then Doreen out at god knows where would be crying to the courier mail of special treatment.

[Mr X]

If it doesn't service me, it's a waste of money style thinking.!!

[colinw]

Yeah - don't build CRR, I catch the bus anyway!    

... and the only time I'm ever likely to catch a train to Springfield is when the ARHS runs a steam excursion there.

[ozbob]

I am looking forward to the steam lead rail revolution, hold on, wrong century, .... the electric lead rail revolution despite the penchant of Queensland to build it and not use it  ...   

[colinw]

What's this newfangled steam nonsense? Time to reinstate a horse drawn tramway in the CBD. (Well, the feasibility study promised a horse, but we ended up with donkeys).

We can send a fact finding tour to Victor Harbor to find out how it is done.

[mufreight]

What's this newfangled steam nonsense? Time to reinstate a horse drawn tramway in the CBD. (Well, the feasibility study promised a horse, but we ended up with donkeys).

We can send a fact finding tour to Victor Harbor to find out how it is done.

Well what else can one expect but donkeys from the present government, their comittee (of donkeys led by a mule) to design a horse ended up with a ?camel

[colinw]

The Gold Coast Bulletin -> Council mistakenly gave carpark away

November 1st, 2011

GOLD Coast City Council mistakenly gave away one of the biggest carparks in Surfers Paradise to the controversial light-rail project to use for storage.

Councillors yesterday admitted they gave ownership of its 200-lot car park at Cypress Ave to light rail project operator GoldlinQ for two years. The deal starts on January 10, 2012.

They defended themselves for missing the information and approving it in June 2010, saying it was small print in a big document but they are now desperately trying to reverse it.

Mayor Ron Clarke said the council pulled in $500,000 a year in revenue from the carpark, which is also used as a temporary workshop space for the Gold Coast 600 each year.

Read more on page 5 of today's Gold Coast Bulletin.

[SurfRail]

Cypress Avenue is one of the biggest wastes of space in Surfers.  I count this as a win - hopefully it gets packaged up after the works are done and sold off to Grocon or Sunland or somebody so it never gets used as an open air parking lot again.

[colinw]

Light Rail Mail, Monday November 14, 2011: Light Rail key component of 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

Gold Coast to host 2018 Commonwealth Games

On Saturday, 12 November the Gold Coast were confirmed as host of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Public transport was a key component of the city's bid to host the games and come 2018, Stage One of the Gold Coast light rail system will be the focal point of an integrated, high frequency public transport network that will transport the many thousands of visitors, athletes and officials who will travel to the city to take part.

Stage One of the light rail system will directly service a number of the key games venues including the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre,  Broadwater Parklands and the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. The light rail system will connect these venues with the major accommodation centres of Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach and the proposed Athletes Village at Parklands.

Congratulations Gold Coast!

Learn more about Stage One of the Gold Coast light rail system

[colinw]

The Bulletin -> Games means light-rail fast track

EXTENSIONS to the Gold Coast light-rail project and three park-and-ride facilities are on the State Government agenda, despite earlier reports that they wouldn't be completed until 2021.

A Government-led industry briefing in Brisbane yesterday to outline various transport projects revealed extensions of the light-rail route at Helensvale, Coolangatta and east to Robina could be fast-tracked ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Establishing park-and-ride facilities at Molendinar, Helensvale and Merrimac will also be looked into as a top priority.

Other key transport projects that will be fast-tracked because of the Games include adding lanes to Smith St Motorway and the Burleigh Connection Rd, bus lanes in Nerang Broadbeach Rd and T2 and cycles lanes for the Gold Coast Highway, plus improving access to Gold Coast Airport.

The briefing comes just four weeks after the State Government announced the final stage of the light-rail project would not start until 2021.

The extension of the heavy-rail line was expected by 2031.

A Transport and Main Roads spokesman confirmed it was looking for companies to be involved in the studies, and tender documents would be advertised by the State Government this week.

"There is massive interest in Commonwealth Games and the economic benefits it will generate for the Gold Coast with transport projects like the Gold Coast light rail," the spokesman said.

About 150 people attended a Transport and Main Roads briefing, which drew criticism for being staged in Brisbane.

Some companies at the briefing were from the Gold Coast, including Yeats.

Director Brandon Yeats said yesterday he hoped local firms would be given priority on the projects.

"I don't think it was a good start that the meeting was in Brisbane," he said.

"It is a Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

"So we need to ensure the Gold Coast is a part of it."

Gold Coast Commonwealth Games organising committee chairman Mark Stockwell applauded Transport and Main Roads for "getting on with the work".

"The Commonwealth Games is a real focus for people to get things moving," he said.

"This stuff is just happening without me needed to get involved."

EDIT: fix incorrectly pasted link to original article.

[SurfRail]

 

[verbatim9]

Better to have the heavy rail extended to coolangatta airport.

[Arnz]

Better to have the heavy rail extended to coolangatta airport.

You'd be in the minority I believe.  IIRC, many on this forum at least would prefer the light rail extension to be fast tracked over the HR.  Even if HR improvements are done, the Coomera bridge duplication would be ahead of the extension.

[O_128]

Better to have the heavy rail extended to coolangatta airport.

You'd be in the minority I believe.  IIRC, many on this forum at least would prefer the light rail extension to be fast tracked over the HR.  Even if HR improvements are done, the Coomera bridge duplication would be ahead of the extension.

LR gives more destinations, better frequency and will cost less. HR 30min frequency, stops in suburbia etc

[verbatim9]

The point being made is would like to see it the HR extension brought forward from 2031 before cost blowouts. You dont want to be in a situation like in Melbourne where a train was plannned to the airport but never built. Not against light rail at all as long as it separated from traffic and all for phase 2 of the rollout for LRT down on the Gold Coast.

[#Metro]

Absolutely nothing should be extended, with the single exception of the Light Rail to connect with Helensvale Rail station to eliminate a double-transfer from HR to LRT.

Any further funds (we could be talking half a billion - 1 billion for the cost of this extension) should be diverted and spent on Core Rail Capacity (Cross River Rail)
or Core Frequent Network (Bus) for the Gold Coast.

[SurfRail]

The point being made is would like to see it the HR extension brought forward from 2031 before cost blowouts. You dont want to be in a situation like in Melbourne where a train was plannned to the airport but never built. Not against light rail at all as long as it separated from traffic and all for phase 2 of the rollout for LRT down on the Gold Coast.

I understand the frustration of course, but the thing we have to deal with at every level of every endeavour is - Treasury does not put an appropriate value on public transport.  Accordingly, the money does not exist to deliver proper outcomes like this, even though proponents like QR and GoldlinQ have the engineering and technical capability to deliver them. 

The money exists, it is just off-limits - and until that changes, we have to pick and choose what we argue for, otherwise we look like saps asking for the world.

[Jonas Jade]

Absolutely nothing should be extended, with the single exception of the Light Rail to connect with Helensvale Rail station to eliminate a double-transfer from HR to LRT.

Any further funds (we could be talking half a billion - 1 billion for the cost of this extension) should be diverted and spent on Core Rail Capacity (Cross River Rail)
or Core Frequent Network (Bus) for the Gold Coast.

We'll probably see Light Rail extensions before CRR on account of the Commonwealth Games. I believe there have been a couple of media statements saying that lines to Helensvale, Robina and Burleigh/Coolangatta would be built.