Finance and project delivery

The Gold Coast Light Rail System is urgently required and will need to be completed efficiently and swiftly.

Ideally it should be planned from the outset as an integrated system from Helensvale to Tweed Heads linking all the key potential passenger nodes. This will require an element of private finance and the optimum method of delivery is an Alliance contract with the Queensland Government and the Gold Coast city Council.

In order to attract private finance it will be necessary to carefully examine potential additional revenue streams such as car parking at key stops, potential retail, commercial, tourism and residential developments. All such enterprises become more viable when an efficient public transport system is instigated.

Many such sites have already been identified.

Financiers are keen to step up to the challenge, but the Government will need to create the climate to attract such finance and consider the implications of a single turnkey contract for the project preferably using the proven Alliance model.