The Gold Coast Rapid Transit Alliance through Stop Light Rail – Rethink Gold Coast Transport initiative aims to:

• create awareness of the proposed rapid transit system route and the potential effects on residents, businesses, public land, the environment and the wider community
• petition the Gold Coast City Council and Queensland Government to strongly consider all viable options for the vital new public transport system for the Gold Coast
• promote the effective planning and implementation of a flexible, highly integrated public transport system for the Gold Coast
• emphasise the need to achieve economies in the establishment and operation of the system finally accepted
• focus on the long rather than short term interests

OUR ORIGINAL “STOP LIGHT RAIL” WEBSITE HAS BEEN RELOCATED from www.stoplightrail.com.au to www.stoplightrail.com

Paradise Waters Action Group Inc (PWAG Inc) and the Gold Coast Public Transport Alliance (GCPTA) jointly operate this new site and apologize for any inconvenience to our many website users.

The old site was very recently taken over without notice by a young engineer from Southport Queensland. Website users were then automatically redirected to www.goldcoastrapidtransport.com.au, a pro light rail website run by the Australian Government, Queensland Government, Translink and the Gold Coast City Council.

The person involved was recently in the employ of Queensland Rail. We believe the actions taken may be a deliberate attempt by the three levels of government TO STIFLE FREEDOM OF SPEECH BY OUR VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION. We think it likely that person was not acting on his own volition but was prompted by those governments desperate to destabilize our criticism.
(On the morning of 4 March, soon after we spoke with a journalist from the GC Bulletin newspaper, the redirection ceased and the old website appeared inoperative. Nevertheless our investigations into possible government encouragement, inducements and benefits to the person directly involved will continue.)

As users can see, we place importance in properly referencing our data and opinions.

We believe, having never received any such contrary data and verifiable facts from those three layers of government, that they are frustrated by the untenable position they now occupy. Their responses are simply qualitative platitudes yet they think they can drive on with the project.
So what have they been up to recently?
They have all insisted on being equity partners so they can share the spoils of Gold Coast Light Rail. They’ve got to be kidding! As even the Mayor Ron Clarke remarked, such infrastructure projects never turn a profit. No Mayor, but as equity partners they are entitled to see all of the accounts and can track who’s getting what out of the project and future operation.

The three equity partners are currently looking for private partners to bear some of the risks.
PRIVATE PARTNERS BEWARE, you may be in for more than you bargained. When this caper comes unstuck, as it surely will, it will cost the private partners a lot. Because governments control legislation, they can change the laws at any stage to zap any unwanted behaviour by the private partners.

The ongoing ham fisted efforts of Translink and the Queensland Government deserve special mention. After years of evaluation they have decided that Stage 2, from Helensvale to Griffith Uni, will go via Harbour Town and Olsen Avenue (rather than the more western route along Smith Street). Twenty properties may have to be resumed – but they haven’t decided which twenty – so they sent out resumption advice to 840 households! Consequently an entire neighbourhood of residents and businesses is in limbo while the ‘highly skilled professionals’ work their way through the problem entirely of their own making. In short, it is the most recent disaster but will be far from the last.

IF YOU LIVE ANYWHERE WITHIN 500m EITHER SIDE OF THE NOMINAL ROUTE FROM HELENSVALE TO COOLANGATTA (and maybe beyond), BE VERY AFRAID because of resumptions, consequent changes to traffic patterns and extreme real estate volatility.
As one of our members remarked, “Do you think we need to be more careful who we elect?”

If you would like to help us convert the governments’ plan to one that will actually benefit Gold Coast residents, businesses and visitors, please contact us by E-mail.