Latest on the Light Rail

Gold Coast Mayor, Tom Tate, says he will end his war with anti-light rail “whingers” in Palm Beach by sidestepping the coastal town all together. Southern towns such as Palm Beach, Currumbin and Tugun will miss out as part of a radical new plan to get the trams to the Gold Coast Airport. The majority of a dozen Palm Beach, Currumbin and Tugun business operators, however, wanted the original track plan to go ahead, running along Gold Coast Highway. Newly opened Palm Beach fish and chip shop Hunky Dory owner Tory Trewhitt said he “can’t wait” for the light rail Stage 4 to Gold Coast Airport to follow the Gold Coast Highway as originally planned.

A fed-up Cr Tate has raised the prospect of light rail Stage 4 turning right on to Nineteenth Avenue after crossing Tallebudgera Creek and skipping Palm Beach and Currumbin. The line would then follow the heavy rail corridor and join up with the airport at Coolangatta. “People in Palm Beach are jumping up and down about the congestion (they think light rail will cause), well then we won’t go to Palm Beach — we’ll chuck a right at Nineteenth Ave. He wants to secure a business case study and community consultation before the October state election.

The State Government wants the light rail to follow the coast through Palm Beach, Currumbin and Tugun. You can see the multiple proposed routes here:

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