Little detail has been released about the area’s future, but acting Gold Coast Mayor Mark Hammel said Mayor Tom Tate had met with Queensland Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg.<\/p>\n
He said the southern Gold Coast would likely be serviced by extra buses rather than the multi-billion-dollar light rail line.<\/p>\n
“We’re not talking about a rapid bus system, we’re talking about an enhanced bus system which, from the best of our detail, just means some additional 777 buses and some paint being put on lanes at certain intersections to create priority,” Cr Hammel said.<\/p>\n
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Brisbane Metro vehicles were rolled out in 2025. (ABC News: Steve Keen)<\/p>\n
With a rapidly growing population and regular congestion, he said a more intensive solution was needed.<\/p>\n
“We’re looking for a bit more than that to ensure the southern Gold Coast has got a genuine alternative public transport option available,” Cr Hammel said.<\/p>\n
“To me [that] says this state government has not got any intention of delivering a full public transport corridor from Burleigh to Coolangatta.”<\/p>\n
Rapid vs enhanced<\/p>\n
In announcing the canning of the light rail last week, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the government would roll out a “rapid bus transit system”.<\/p>\n
“We’ve actually got capacity now to have a better connected Gold Coast, particularly southern Gold Coast, than what a light rail, which is a fixed tram-line, could have provided,” he said.<\/p>\n
A rapid bus transit system uses higher-capacity buses \u2014 as the Brisbane Metro<\/a> does \u2014 that travel along dedicated lanes to deliver faster commute times.<\/p>\n The under-construction Burleigh Heads light rail station sits next to the popular bowls club and Memorial Park. (ABC Gold Coast: Dominic Cansdale)<\/p>\n But the government review released last week highlighted issues with the construction of a rapid bus system.<\/p>\n “[It would] involve construction of dedicated busways for use by metro-style buses, as well as construction of new bridges over the Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creeks and an interchange at Burleigh Heads.”<\/p>\n The report concluded that rapid bus transit would not be feasible because it would require “the resumption of significant areas of land” at the Burleigh Heads Bowls Club and Memorial Park.<\/p>\n More resumptions<\/p>\n The state government has repeatedly ruled out building a bus depot<\/a> or interchange over the Burleigh Heads Bowls Club or Memorial Park.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n