M1 plan will work says Comm Games boss

Commonwealth Games boss Peter Beattie has dismissed a report warning the M1 will be a "crash risk" during next year's event as old news.

Gold Coast Commonwealth Games boss Peter Beattie is confident organisers have a transport plan to ensure the smooth flow of traffic during next year's event.

A Department of Transport and Main Roads M1 Management Plan has warned the Queensland government the M1 motorway will be a 'very high crash risk' during the Games with traffic to exceed the arterial route's capacity, the ABC reports.

Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) chairman Mr Beattie says that report comes from 2016 and was used to help develop a traffic management plan for the Games.

"That is old history, we've taken it into account and we now have a plan to deal with it, which has not yet been fully implemented," Mr Beattie said on Wednesday.

He said additional public transport resources and the strategic location of tow trucks to clear accident sites were among several initiatives yet to be implemented for the M1 during the Games.

Mr Beattie remained confident the Games would run smoothly when the full plan is put in place.

"Nobody has seen the benefits that will take place. In addition to that, these Games are held in the school holidays and a lot of the events are held outside the peak hour on the M1," he said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was confident with the plan that has been proposed for transport during the Games.

"We have been working on this, we know how important it is to deliver the best Games ever, to get people travelling from point A to point B," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"We are working collaboratively ... to ensure that there is smooth passage of passengers along the M1."

Queensland's Shadow Commonwealth Games Minister John-Paul Langbroek dismissed the plan as a "bandaid" solution to what he views as the second biggest issue for the Games behind security.

"On the second biggest issue of transport, the biggest road is the M1," Mr Langbroek told reporters.

"There's no doubt Annastacia Palaszczuk and (Commonwealth Games Minister) Kate Jones have sat on their hands, waited for this to become a crisis, and are now just hoping that their bandaid plan can somehow get them through."


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Source: AAP


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