Saturday 5 November 2011

A new bus route starting Monday (November 7) will link Nerang train station and Surfers Paradise making travel easier for tourists and workers on the Gold Coast.

Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the new route 740 would run along the east-west corridor between Nerang train station and Surfers Paradise every 30 minutes between 7am and 7pm, seven days a week.

“The new service will help meet the growing demand for bus services on the Gold Coast and will eventually be an ideal route access light rail at Cavill Avenue,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Route 740 provides a fast and more direct route between these two key destinations on the Coast, just in time for Schoolies, the Christmas rush and summer holiday period.

“The first buses each day will depart Nerang train station for Dolphin Arcade on Surfers Paradise Boulevard at Surfers at 6.55am and Appel Park on Ferny Way at Surfers for Nerang train station at 6.26am, to meet with the train departing Nerang train station at 6.59am.

“Route 740 will deliver almost 19,000 new weekly bus seats and almost one million seats per year for our Gold Coast customers.”

Member for Southport Peter Lawlor welcomed the announcement.

“This is good news for the Gold Coast which will give local commuters even more travel options,” Mr Lawlor said.

“The new service will take pressure of other routes like the 709 in my area, making sure people can get a seat in the morning and afternoon.”

Ms Palaszczuk said buses for the new route 740 would hit the road from Monday, November 7.

“Adding route 740 with services on route 21 (Clearwater to Surfers Paradise) more than doubles the number of services between Nerang and Surfers Paradise in the Nerang-Broadbeach Road corridor, up from eight to 26 trips in each direction each day,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Gold Coast bus routes 709 (Helensvale to Pacific Fair) and 745 (Nerang to Surfers Paradise) also provide connections to train stations on the Gold Coast line.

“It will also help alleviate delays for customers while construction of the light rail network is underway.”

There were 17.15 million trips taken on Surfside buses in 2010/11, which is 450,000 more than the previous year.

For more information on public transport, visit the TransLink website www.translink.com.au or phone 13 12 30, anytime.