After weeks of leaving locals hanging, the state government has finally confirmed trams will begin taking passengers between Broadbeach and Burleigh from this Sunday.
The opening follows several months of testing along the route, with workers spending the last week putting final touches on stations and fixing minor defects.
It will come as a huge relief for residents and businesses along the route who have endured four years of construction.
Light Rail Stage 3 adds eight new stations between Broadbeach South and Burleigh Heads, including stops at Mermaid Beach, Nobby Beach and Miami.
“Today is about delivering for the Gold Coast and finally opening a project that local residents have been waiting far too long for,” Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said in a statement.
“This extension will better connect communities, support local jobs and businesses, and make it easier for people to move between some of the Gold Coast’s most popular destinations.”
But Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon has hit out at the government, reminding them it was Labor that got Stage 3 going.
“You’ll see a bunch of LNP MPs no doubt rock up and try and take credit for this project, which is interesting, isn’t it, given they’ve just decided to cancel the fourth and final stage to the airport, because why would you want some kind of connection to the airport?” Scanlon said.
“The big transport plan is buses with no dedicated lanes. Each to their own, but it doesn’t sound that groundbreaking to me.
“But look, I’m choosing to take the win. This project was so far progressed they couldn’t cut it.”
