Palaszczuk Government increases commitment to upgrading M1

November 05, 2017

The Palaszczuk Government is delivering now and in the future for Gold Coast, today outlining an M1 action plan which includes upgrading the highway to at least six lanes on the entire stretch from Brisbane to the border.

Unlike the LNP who yesterday completely ignored the M1 like they did during their term in government, the Palaszczuk Government will commit $247 million, on top of more than $420 million being delivered, to fix the bottlenecks and congestion hot spots and ease the run for commuters.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Labor would commit $206 million to help fund the upgrade of the southern M1 between Varsity Lakes and Tugun.

A further $25 million would be allocated towards upgrading the Oxenford (Exit 57) interchange and $16 million to develop a business case for future upgrades of the M1 corridor between Eight Mile Plains and Logan Motorway.

“This is not under-funding of the LNP’s ‘Road to Nowhere’ as promised by a mathematically inept Tim Nicholls. In three years as Treasurer in tandem with Campbell Newman, Tim Nicholls failed to allocate one single cent to upgrading Queensland’s busiest road,’’ the Premier said.

“Only a Labor Government can deliver on the M1 for the Gold Coast.

“Only a Labor Government will continue to take the fight to Canberra to secure a fair share of funding for the M1.’’

Labor Palaszczuk Government’s M1 plan includes:

• $206 million – to help fund the Varsity Lakes and Tugun upgrade ($206 million contribution from the Palaszczuk Government as part of its 20% share consistent with funding for National Land Transport Network projects);
• $25 million – to upgrade Oxenford (Exit 57) interchange (fully funded by Palaszczuk Government); and
• $16 million – to develop a business case for future upgrades between Eight Mile Plains and Logan Motorway (fully funded by Palaszczuk Government).

 
Labor Palaszczuk Government’s M1 record:

• $170 million – Gateway merge upgrade (early works started)
• $180 million – Mudgeeraba to Varsity Lakes upgrade (early works started)
• $74 million – Exit 54 upgrade (completed)
• $5 million – Planning for Varsity Lakes to Tugun upgrade
• Planning for multiple Northern Gold Coast exit upgrades including Exit 38 (Yatala North), Exit 41 (Yatala South), Exit 45 (Ormeau), Exit 49 (Pimpama) and Exit 57 (Oxenford).

The Premier said that with traffic volumes on the 10km stretch of the M1 between Varsity Lakes and Tugun it was crucial that it be widened to three lanes in both directions.

“We will continue to invest in the M1 because this is real action that will benefit motorists,’’ she said.

“We will improve problem interchanges and plan future upgrades.’’

Minister for Main Roads and Road Safety Mark Bailey said the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to easing the pressure on the M1 already had begun.

“Early works on two significant upgrades on the M1 are already underway - duplicating the southbound lanes at the M1-M3 merge at Eight Mile Plains and upgrade to the section of the M1 between Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes to six-lanes,’’ Mr Bailey said.

“We’ve also delivered the $74.4 million upgrade of the Exit 54 Coomera upgrade.

“These projects represent more than $400 million invested in the M1.

“Tim Nicholls idea of tackling congestion on the M1 is to ignore it and instead propose an alternative that quite simply doesn’t stack up.”

Ms Palaszczuk said with the Commonwealth Government’s assistance the Varsity-Tugun Lakes project could begin straight after the 2020 completion of the Mudgeeraba-Varsity Lakes upgrade.

“We have already take action and more is needed now, on the M1, not on some fanciful project that would cost taxpayers nearly 5 times the $500 million that Mr Nicholls claimed,” she said.

“The LNP needs to tell Queenslanders how they would fund this project and what assets they would need to sell to do it.

“In my last Budget we allocated $4.32 billion in transport funding to ensure we can keep our state moving."