As the city with the world’s largest light rail network, Melbourne is a showcase of the benefits of light rail for rapid, pedestrian-friendly, low carbon transport. The idea is catching hold around the nation, with projects at various stages of planning and implementation. Following are details of projects in Sydney, Adelaide, Newcastle and the Gold Coast.
The Gold Coast
The first of these infrastructure projects to seek a sustainability rating is the Gold Coast’s new Rapid Transit light rail system, G:Link, which is being designed and constructed by GoldLinQ, a joint venture consortium comprising GoldLinQ Pty Ltd, McConnell Dowell Constructors, Bombardier Transportation Australia and KDR Gold Coast Pty Ltd.
KDR Gold Coast will maintain a role in the ongoing operation and maintenance of the system, the company bringing to the task the experience gained by the Melbourne parent company, a joint venture between Keolis and Downer Rail which operates Melbourne’s tram and light rail network.
“Gold Coast light rail has applied for an Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia rating and will soon be Australia’s first public transport project and the third project nation-wide to receive a rating,” GoldLinQ chief executive officer Phil Mumford said.
Stage one of the G:Link runs from Gold Coast University Hospital at Southport down the coast to Broadbeach, a distance of 13 kilometres.
Future stages have also been planned, with an ultimate 40km route from Helensvale to Coolangatta contained in the Draft Gold Coast City Transport Strategy 2031. This Transport Strategy outlines how light rail extensions might be implemented to improve the city’s transport network.
According to the state government, preliminary planning has been undertaken but funding for the potential future stages of the Gold Coast light rail has not yet been committed.
The project is a partnership between all three levels of government in Australia, and has funding commitments from three levels of government.
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Another sustainability triumph saw more than 5000 tonnes of sand excavated for light rail works donated to the City of Gold Coast to replenish the region’s popular beaches, which were eroded by severe weather in early 2013
Phil Mumford, GoldLinQ
This first stage, which is expected to carry its first passengers in mid 2014, was a key aspect of the Gold Coast’s bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, with many sporting venues and accommodation centres directly accessible from the light rail stops.
A single 43.5m long tram is able to carry over 309 passengers safely; the equivalent of six standard buses, and has the potential to remove up to 235 cars from the road during peak periods. The state government has estimated G:Link will reduce local greenhouse gas emissions by 114,000 tonnes during the first 10 years of operation.
Long-term planning – but mixed reaction from Gold Coast community
According to GoldLinQ’s Phil Mumford there has been mixed reaction to the proposal for light rail on the Gold Coast.
“A project as major as Gold Coast light rail must balance the needs of traders and organisations with getting the job done,” Mr Mumford said.
“GoldLinQ meets regularly with traders, traffic, emergency services and other groups to find solutions to concerns about how works will affect them.
“There has been a mixed reaction from the Gold Coast community with feedback ranging from negativity with short-term construction to positivity of long-term city and population growth support.”
The Gold Coast is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia with travel demands exceeding population growth.
According to the Queensland State Government, traffic demand on a number of key Gold Coast roads currently exceeds capacity with congestion increasing. This makes an integrated public transport system essential to meet the city’s anticipated growth and reduce congestion.
Town planning
A proposal for a new Rapid Transit system was first developed as part of Gold Coast City Council’s 1998 Transport Plan.
In 2004, a joint Queensland Transport and Gold Coast City Council feasibility study developed plans for a possible light rail or bus rapid transit system, and in 2005 the Gold Coast Rapid Transit project was confirmed as a priority in the South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program.
The system is also an important component of the TransLink’s South East Queensland Ten Year Network Plan.
From 2006-08, the state government conducted extensive planning to prepare the Concept Design and Impact Management Plan to determine the suitability for a rapid transit system on the Gold Coast, identify potential impacts and establish effective mitigation strategies.
Sustainable design and construction
According to Mr Mumford, the depot in Southport, located on a retired landfill site, was a major sustainability achievement for the project.
The team altered the track design which meant less landfill had to be excavated. “This saw 68,200 tonnes less waste removed and 40 per cent less concrete and steel required, saving $5.8 million,” Mr Mumford said.
The depot, which houses the Gold Coast light rail’s control centre and office space, has four inside tracks for maintenance staff to work under cover and acts as the nerve centre of the system with a wall of televisions allowing network controllers to constantly monitor signals, overhead power and pass information to tram drivers.
“Building the depot has been a mammoth effort with 1700 cubic metres of concrete, 320 tonnes of steel reinforcement and 210 tonnes of structural steel creating a gross floor area of 4000 square metres,” Mr Mumford said.
But it’s been built with sustainability in mind, he said. Trams will be kept clean in the depot’s sustainable automatic wash-plant, which will use rainwater gathered from the structure’s roof.
“Another sustainability triumph saw more than 5000 tonnes of sand excavated for light rail works donated to the City of Gold Coast to replenish the region’s popular beaches, which were eroded by severe weather in early 2013.”
Green power
The use of green power was considered, but as it was hard to quantify the sustainability benefits during construction activities, it will now be considered for the operation of the system. It’s use would prove a major long-term sustainability win.
Light rail systems have their own electricity supply system from the main grid, which is a separate set of lines to those servicing homes and businesses and with redundancy built in, to ensure continued operation.
Continue reading here about the other rail projects across Australia.
