GOLD Coasters have voted with their feet and made more than six million trips on the light rail system during its first year.

The $1.2 billion tram system today marks one year since it first took passengers and the Bulletin can reveal patronage figures have exceeded the wildest expectations of GoldLinQ and political leaders.

Figures show 6.18 million trips were made on the 13km system across 365 days — or around 18,200 trips each day.

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media_camera Gold Coasters have voted with their feet and made millions of trips on the light rail in its first year.

This was far beyond the 5.70 million expected before launch, with the State Government now tipping close to 7 million in the next year.

These figures do not include the 80,000 people who used the trams on its free trial day one year ago. That figure was also above the forecast 50-70,000 users expected.

State Government budget papers show the trams have powered a 25 per cent spike in public transport usage on the Gold Coast and slashed patronage on buses.

Figures show the light rail has become so successful that it fell just short of exceeding the number of passengers on Brisbane’s CityCat ferry system.

Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Jackie Trad said the tram system had become the “backbone of the Gold Coast’s transport network”.

“Gold Coast light rail is a transformative piece of infrastructure that has helped to change the way people get around the Coast,” she said.

“The trams have travelled more than one million kilometres and driven a 25 per cent increase in public transport patronage on the Coast in the first year alone.

“Patronage continues to exceed expectations, with an average of more than 18,200 trips made on Gold Coast light rail each day.”

The success of the first year has added to the momentum for a deal to be struck to make the second stage, linking trams to trains, a reality.

Mayor Tom Tate, speaking from the UK, demanded the state and federal Governments “do the math” and fund the link between Griffith University and Helensvale.

“Everyone needs to do the math because these figures show there is no need for a feasibility study because we have a reality study,” he said.

“These figures show it will only grow in the future and I do not know of any business, be it public or private, that has been so much more successful than the prediction.

“This is a dream come true ... we need to do stage two soon, and start planning for a future link to the airport.

“It is a no-brainer.”

An exclusive Bulletin Gold Coast Pulse survey found more than 82 per cent of respondents would like to see trams and trains linked, connecting the city through its burgeoning northern suburbs to Brisbane.

GoldLinQ boss Phil Mumford said he was looking forward to seeing patronage figures grow.

“G:link’s first birthday today is a fantastic milestone and everyone involved in getting the project to this point should be very proud of what has been achieved,” he said.

“We look forward to increasing this patronage ... particularly as the city grows around the light rail, proving the value of this type of city building infrastructure”.

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