A STEP IN THE RIGHT TRACK

(By Rebecca Coleman and Romy Craven-McLeay - Bond University journalism students)

As the Varsity Lakes Railway station approaches it's first birthday, locals are saying the station is an improvement to public transport but not the whole package.

Varsity Lakes resident Timothy Dening has continued to use the Robina station despite the opening of the Varsity line in November last year.

"The Varsity station is in the sticks,” he said. “ It’s harder to get to, there is no ATM or any convenience store and it takes longer to get to than Robina.”

The track extension, which cost $324 million to build, is part of Queensland Rail’s 20-year plan, which will see the south-east Queensland lines extend as far south as Coolangatta.

The Varsity Lakes station is host to 300 open commuter car parks, yet has no shops in or within close proximity to the station.

Brisbane commuter and Varsity Lakes resident Ruby Korver said:  “I use the Varsity line as I can walk to the station.

“I use it twice a week to go to university in Brisbane.

“The station is pretty quiet throughout the day, however I can hear the trains early in the morning and late at night from my house which is the only bad thing.”

The station is located next to the M1 in Reedy Creek, however it is an eight minute drive to Varsity’s CBD compared with the nine minute drive to Robina station where there are better facilities and access to shopping centres and other means of public transport.