Story by Echonetdaily
Read Echonetdaily’s full story here
THE NSW GOVERNMENT is funding a multi-million study looking at extending the Gold Coast light rail network south into the Tweed, and possibly as far as Byron Bay.
But the announcement has been met with skepticism by NSW Labor’s shadow minister for the North Coast Walt Secord, who said few people doubted it would ever happen.
Nevertheless, Tweed MP Geoff Provest said he would meet Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to discuss the link-up but pointed out that interstate negotiations had been ongoing since last year when the Gold Coast City council endorsed plans to take trams to the border.
The Tweed Shire Council has also backed the proposal, with Deputy Mayor Chris Cherry and councillor Warren Polglase telling Gold Coast media that there was strong political support for the light rail to stretch south of the border.
Byron Shire mayor Simon Richardson has also thrown his support behind the idea saying a million visitors could visit Byron without their cars.
Mr Secord said however that he was skeptical.
‘In principle, I welcome the funding of a study on the possibility of extending the Gold Coast light rail project from the Queensland border down to Byron Bay, but it is like all National Party promises,’ Mr Secord said.
‘It is just a promise and very few people believe it will actually happen.”
The only reason this has been said – is the people who have been telling their politicians, including Labor, that trains are a no brainer for the Northern Rivers & connection to Qld. We had not given in to the negatives pushed that trains are outdated, not necessary but we must go to riding bikes! So MPs have been dragged screaming trying to keep to their ridiculous decisions that trains you wont get! The roads are not meeting the everyday transport needs of communities now, let alone in the next few years and on, plus 1918 with the Commonwealth Games! The jobs and dollars that have been lost after Mr Costa (& suddenly ahead of his said time!) selfishly & foolishly stopped our TRAIN SERVICE, soon after he left the parliament. People have had to endure that disgusting bus trip to meet the train at Casino ever since!