Former premier pushes for more parking, better transport at main stadiums

[Bayside Titan]

Mr Borbidge, who chairs the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Legacy Committee, said yesterday the stadiums were often half-full during Titans and the Suns games, and that needed to change.

"In cities like Melbourne, everyone goes to everything because stadiums like the MCG are easy to access," he said. "But people often give Skilled Park or Metricon a miss here because it is all too hard."

Mr Borbidge has already discussed expanding public parking around the Robina ground with the Titans and next year he plans to approach Gold Coast Suns management about options for Carrara.

"Early discussions with the Titans indicate there is the potential for more parking at Robina, which is encouraging," he said.

Carrara councillor Bob La Castra backed Mr Borbidge, saying council and State Government bureaucrats seemed to be the ones stopping more parking from being built at Metricon and Skilled Park.

"We are always told that the bureaucrats don't want more cars on the road and buses and trains should be used instead," he said.

"But public transport is not good enough now and many people have no other option except to drive."

Robina councillor Jan Grew said the Green Heart, located next to Skilled Park, was the perfect place for a new carpark to be built in the suburb.

"This is a 700ha space and if we want Skilled Park to become an event precinct in the future, we need more parking," she said.

Mr Borbidge is also calling for public transport improvements - in the pipeline for 2018 - to be brought forward.

"There are plans for more buses and trains for the Games, but we need to increase the services now," he said.

Mr Borbidge said based on flagging levels of support for the Suns and the Titans, there was no guarantee locals would buy the number of tickets for the Commonwealth Games that organisers expected.

"We need stronger local backing for existing sporting clubs by the time the Games roll around in 2018 so we can be sure the event will be well supported," he said.

Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation chairman Nigel Chamier was also keen to see stronger support for the Titans and the Suns, but said he was unsure about government plans to increase parking.

"It would be good for the Games and the Gold Coast if the support built up in the years before for the Titans and the Suns," he said.

Mr Borbidge said stronger support for locally based sporting teams would also help to build civic pride on the Gold Coast.

[Bayside Titan]

From memory there was talk that there is or was the intention to build a multilevel carpark at the back of the Stadium just over the Creek with the road from the car park to head towards Merrimac or Mermaid way...

[DIEHARD]

Good to hear from Borbidge, good to have an ally in our quest for more car parks & access!

[Bayside Titan]

Good to hear from Borbidge, good to have an ally in our quest for more car parks & access!

Yeah Diehard. But the article is true re trying get people excited about sport on the coast again ahead of the games. A huge movement towards parking and public transport will need to start up.

[DIEHARD]

Ah Rob Borbidge, the Premier even the LNP forget about... Idiots.

[Titanic]

Ah Rob Borbidge, the Premier even the LNP forget about... Idiots.

Lol ... never let a chance go by, oh lord.

[DIEHARD]

Lol ... never let a chance go by, oh lord.

I'm a lost cause. But serious poor old Rob has been airbrushed! Maybe this is his chance to get back on the map! Hero to the people who need car parks!

[Titanic]

I'm a lost cause. But serious poor old Rob has been airbrushed! Maybe this is his chance to get back on the map! Hero to the people who need car parks!

I thought he was well into retirement but as long as the carpark topic is on the front-burner there is hope.