Ministerial statement: CoastConnect corridor to slash travel times

[colinw]

http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=73658

Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan

Thursday, February 17, 2011

CoastConnect corridor to slash travel times

The Sunshine Coast's 23 kilometre green transport corridor is a step closer with the final route announced today in parliament by Transport Minister Rachel Nolan.

Ms Nolan said bus travel times between Caloundra and Maroochydore would be slashed by up to 13 minutes, and pedestrians and cyclists would also benefit along the CoastConnect corridor.

"The State Government has finalised the route CoastConnect will take and will now begin protecting the corridor so we can build a mix of bus priority intersections, bus lanes, and shared bike and pedestrian ways," Ms Nolan said.

"CoastConnect will provide faster and more reliable transport options and is an important part of the Bligh Government's long-term plan to meet the Sunshine Coast's increasing transport needs."

Minister Nolan said the community had played a key part in finalising the corridor and in developing the project so far.

"We've incorporated community feedback by minimising impacts on Alexandra Parade and Aerodrome Road, increasing car parks, and fast tracking the Maroochydore Bus station," Ms Nolan said.

"As already committed last year, the busy Alexandra Parade will remain as four lanes only, with bus priority at key intersections.

"We're extremely grateful to the community for their input and patience throughout the planning process."

The Minister said under CoastConnect public transport would become more:

    * Reliable – buses will have their own space in the transport network, ensuring efficiency and reliability
    * Frequent – additional bus services transporting people between Caloundra and Maroochydore
    * Comfortable – new bus stations will be built at Maroochydore, Kawana, Currimundi and Caloundra and improvements will be made to more than 70 bus stops
    * Accessible – additional stops, more accessible locations and feeder bus services to main transport routes.

Construction is planned to begin in 2014 with completion between Caloundra and Maroochydore scheduled for 2019, as part of the Government's $13 billion boost to green transport on the Sunshine Coast over 20 years.

For more information visit www.tmr.qld.gov.au/CoastConnect, or call 1800 848 000.

[#Metro]

Connectivity between services
An interconnected network includes interchanges at strategic locations that allow passengers to change from one service to another. Interconnecting public transport services can make it easier for passengers to travel to where they want to go while offering convenient access to many destinations. The more opportunities there are to transfer between various services, the more journey combinations and destinations are possible for passengers.

Direct public transport services can be provided to major centres if there is sufficient demand to justify the service or during peak period. However, the demand for trips to many other destinations is too low to justify the provision of direct services.
For the CoastConnect corridor, there is a need to strike the right balance between maximising the interchange opportunities while minimising the need for passengers to transfer. Where demand is sufficient, the principle of 'same seat' journey should apply.

In some cases, 'feeder'   routes will be provided    to key CoastConnect stations   where passengers can transfer to reach their final destination. This can be done at significantly lower costs than direct services and allows services to be provided at frequencies that would not be viable otherwise. This approach also makes use of spare capacity on trunk services thereby increasing the overall efficiency of the system.
While transfers can allow access to more destinations, they must be done in a seamless and coordinated way to minimise inconvenience to passengers. Transfers will be made easy through timetable connections at key CoastConnect stations (coordinated arrival and departure times) together with the high service frequencies proposed at CoastConnect stations.

This is a good move, so good in fact that is suspiciously looks as if it were written by Paul Mees.
So feeder services are cheaper and reduce the amount of air being carried by the trunk line.
http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/773f60ee-0e92-41bd-9b89-e19f6937437e/pdfcdimpfinalvol1chapter10.pdf

Ms Nolan said bus travel times between Caloundra and Maroochydore would be slashed by up to 13 minutes, and pedestrians and cyclists would also benefit along the CoastConnect corridor.

The first step to get a "foot in the door" for CAMCOS is to duplicate the Sunshine Coast and then extend a spur railway to a single station located at Caloundra. As soon as that station is established, a busway-rail interchange and park and ride can be built and feed passengers into that, which will cut travel time down massively and work synergistically with the CoastConnect BRT system.

[colinw]

The first step to get a "foot in the door" for CAMCOS is to duplicate the Sunshine Coast and then extend a spur railway to a single station located at Caloundra. As soon as that station is established, a busway-rail interchange and park and ride can be built and feed passengers into that, which will cut travel time down massively and work synergistically with the CoastConnect BRT system.

A good suggestion IMHO, provided it is not used as an excuse to take the railway to Caloundra and no further.

[Stillwater]

Ms Nolan should not be slapping backs and congratulating people now that the route of the CoastConnect project has been finalised.  How much money could the taxpayer have saved on the cost of this project had the state government better coordinated a formal infrastructure land needs agreement with the Sunshine Coast Regional Council in a timely manner?

Two years after new residential lots around Kawana were created, sold and built upon, the state government is having to buy back almost brand new houses for the CoastConnect project.  Yes, that's right!

With forethought, they could have bought them as vacant lots, or had the land excised out of the subdivision, maybe requiring only a farmland price payment to the developer.  Read and weep:

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2010/11/25/main-roads-buys-land-at-kawana-bus-lane-transport/

The state government is not admitting how many more houses it will have to buy up.  This one purchase cost taxpayers $755,000.

Elsewhere, houses have been built too close to the roadway so that people's front yards are having to be resumed.  How did that happen with all the lead-time associated with this project?

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2008/10/29/buses-may-run-4m-mans-front-door/

Just how do these examples fit with the government rhetoric about integrated planning and effective transport and land use planning?

Of course, CoastConnect would make more sense if it linked up with a CAMCOS train at Caloundra by 2015, as promised originally.

[#Metro]

So much for "integrated land use and transport planning".

To be fair however, I am glad something like this is going to happen.
Improvement is improvement, even if a little late.

CAMCOS to Caloundra 

[mufreight]

Ms Nolan should not be slapping backs and congratulating people now that the route of the CoastConnect project has been finalised.  How much money could the taxpayer have saved on the cost of this project had the state government better coordinated a formal infrastructure land needs agreement with the Sunshine Coast Regional Council in a timely manner?

Two years after new residential lots around Kawana were created, sold and built upon, the state government is having to buy back almost brand new houses for the CoastConnect project.  Yes, that's right!

With forethought, they could have bought them as vacant lots, or had the land excised out of the subdivision, maybe requiring only a farmland price payment to the developer.  Read and weep:

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2010/11/25/main-roads-buys-land-at-kawana-bus-lane-transport/

The state government is not admitting how many more houses it will have to buy up.  This one purchase cost taxpayers $755,000.

Elsewhere, houses have been built too close to the roadway so that people's front yards are having to be resumed.  How did that happen with all the lead-time associated with this project?

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2008/10/29/buses-may-run-4m-mans-front-door/

Just how do these examples fit with the government rhetoric about integrated planning and effective transport and land use planning?

Of course, CoastConnect would make more sense if it linked up with a CAMCOS train at Caloundra by 2015, as promised originally.

   

[colinw]

There is a pattern emerging here.

Gold Coast Light Rail: no connection to rail, promised 2nd stage to connect to Helensvale pushed off to "never never".  Confusion about resumptions.
CoastConnect: no connection to rail, promised rail connection pushed off to "never never". Confusion about resumptions.

Both these botch ups will result in passengers needing a double transfer to access the rail system from the densest populated parts of our two largest coastal cities.  Both will also mean that two major tourist & beach areas close to Brisbane remain difficult to access as a rail day trip from Brisbane. (A rail day trip to a station close to a decent quality beach has not been easy since 1961, when Kirra and Coolangatta stations closed)

It appears that "Integrated" is a buzzword that appears in feel-good press releases, but is not translated into reality in our public transport system.  Real passengers out on the street searching for their connecting services may have trouble finding this supposed "integration".

Hopefully the forthcoming ministerial reshuffle will move our current "do nothing" minister, who is completely out of her depth, out of the portfolio. At least Paul Lucas had some understanding of the railways and transport in general.

[somebody]

I struggle to believe that the current Minister could be as bad as she appears.  It might be that she's not allowed to do anything.  Anyway, it seems that all change is being blocked as someone might complain.

[colinw]

The state is being run by the iron hand of Treasury.  Nothing gets up without Andrew Fraser's assent.  Since he took over as treasurer it appears that a lot of money for rail projects has evaporated, starting with the 2012 Landsborough & 2015 Caloundra committments.  I'm sure if we dig around the old press releases we'll find that Elanora was due somewhere around then too.

Increasingly QLD reminds me of NSW during the Michael Costa era.

[somebody]

The state is being run by the iron hand of Treasury.  Nothing gets up without Andrew Fraser's assent.  Since he took over as treasurer it appears that a lot of money for rail projects has evaporated, starting with the 2012 Landsborough & 2015 Caloundra committments.  I'm sure if we dig around the old press releases we'll find that Elanora was due somewhere around then too.

Increasingly QLD reminds me of NSW during the Michael Costa era.

There were significant improvements to the private bus services in hills district in the Costa years.  Current management of PT is far worse than then.

[Jonno]

I suspect the term 'integrated' means "physically possible to make connection but may involve hitchhiking over a 24hr period on unlit back roads".

[Stillwater]

Perhaps Treasury should listen to those old sayings 'Penny Wise, Pound Foolish' or 'A Stitch in Time Saves Nine'.  Come to think of it, ColinW, Andrew Fraser's hair is getting shorter and shorter to almost bald, just like Mr Costa.  I agree, Treasury is running the show, but I would qualify that by saying the government seems to be trying to arrange the list of project for which they seek federal funding -- right across the board -- from hospitals to roads.  They know they are not going to get all the money they seek across the board, or not in one go at least.  So they are pushing Gold Coast light rail, for instance, and Ipswich Motorway, then Sunshine Coast Hospital, North Queensland road upgrades, then slot in CRR, push back SC Line, for instance.  In the scramble for dollars, including federal dollars, Ms Nolan may find that her ministerial colleagues play aggressive and hard, so that her portfolio projects get pushed down the list.

Note that the announcement by Ms Nolan was merely that the CoastConnect route had been finalised.  Construction remains some years away. 
There would appear to be a pattern emerging here, based on geography.  Duplication to Nambour and CAMCOS is on the never-never.  Beerburrum, the last northern town within Moreton Bay Regional Council, is where the rail duplication stops.  State Government pulled its funds for Stockland Stadium, but pumped money into Carrara Stadium, the Sunshine Coast University Hospital has been delayed years.  Is there an agenda to deny the Sunshine Coast State Government funding?

Could the game plan be as crude as 'you will get these planned state government goodies when the Sunshine Coast Regional Council agrees to allow major new 'cities' within its boundaries', the size of Gladstone and Warwick respectively?

http://www.energyefficienthomedesign.com.au/2010/03/annas-blight-on-queensland-includes-stirling-hinchcliffe/

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2010/03/06/its-time-to-fight-blighs-growth/

And since people here and elsewhere have been banging on about how SEQIPP and its associated plans as being inadequate, because they remain unfunded, the State Government says it has produced its last SEQIPP.  A new plan would cover the whole state.

http://www.busnews.com.au/news/articleid/68750.aspx

A new plan (to be called QIP) won't allow direct comparisons with the old SEQIPP, so the government's failure to deliver on its promises can't be illustrated as starkly as comparing one SEQIPP with the next.  It is likely that any new plan will focus on new baubles outside SEQ and less on the South-East.

[#Metro]

Isn't everybody who runs treasuries going bald? Just an observation. 

[Arnz]

  Beerburrum, the last northern town within Moreton Bay Regional Council, is where the rail duplication stops.  State Government pulled its funds for Stockland Stadium, but pumped money into Carrara Stadium, the Sunshine Coast University Hospital has been delayed years.  Is there an agenda to deny the Sunshine Coast State Government funding?

Could the game plan be as crude as 'you will get these planned state government goodies when the Sunshine Coast Regional Council agrees to allow major new 'cities' within its boundaries', the size of Gladstone and Warwick respectively?

Beerburrum is the southernmost town of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council.  It's not a part of the Moreton Bay region.

[Stillwater]

I stand corrected.  My point was that rail improvements stopped at the extremity of the council boundary, even if Beerburrum is a nose inside the border.

[Stillwater]

Co-ordination of infrastructure and land use planning -- talking the talk versus walking the walk. 

[mufreight]

Be nice if it actualy was able to and did connect with CAMCOS

[Stillwater]

It hasn't taken much time for the Sunshine Coasters to wake up and realise that all Ms Nolan has produced (after three years) is a line on a map showing where Coast Connect will go.  Ms Nolan's media statement was headlined 'Faster Travel Time for Coast Commuters', or something like that, but the story was about a line on a map.  Not even the land has been bought up, let alone detailed planning started ... to be followed by actual construction, with usual caveats about being 'subject to availability of money'.  That is years and years away, like so much of the public transport initiatives planned for the Coast.

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/02/19/lines-to-cut-time-off-commute-coastconnect-bus/

[#Metro]

Is this like that bullet train travelling from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast. 

Seriously, this is starting to look like something that always stays recent by always coming tomorrow and never today. What shall I call this tactic? Horizon Pushing?

[Stillwater]

That's it TT, the election is about the next 3 years.  What will government do in the next 3 years?  We are being told 'forget about that - look what might happen in 2031!'

2031 - are we there yet?  Are we there yet?  Are we there yet?  Are we there yet?

[mufreight]

Well you blokes are all right on the money there, promise anything to get re-elected and keep their noses in the trough with no intention of actually doing anything and the party will have multiple excuses why they have done nothing at the next election, again bordering on the cat ate my homework level of credibility.

[Stillwater]

The issue is whether we are seeing emerge here in Queensland the rehash and reheating of transport policy leftovers in a way that brings no credit to the government of the day, just like in NSW.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/election/a/-/article/8859021/nsw-govt-promises-are-rehashed-opposition/

Where's the best place to be?  With transport at the heart of a Queensland state election campaign, just as in Victoria.

http://www.environmentvictoria.org.au/media/public-transport-front-election-campaign

[#Metro]

Don't worry. I think they will be gone next election. You can't be in government forever. Fact. 

[Fares_Fair]

I saw in a newspaper article in the Maroochy Journal, Vol 2 of 5, of Friday February 18, 2011, p6.
that LNP leader John Paul Langbroek has listed health, transport infrastructure and job security as leading issues for the region.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Stillwater]

Yes, but what will the Opposition do differently?  We will just have to see, because they propose not to release their transport policy until just before the election.  Unfortunately, that allows for little scrutiny of what it says before the vote.

[#Metro]

Time to buy a plane ticket to WA... 

[Stillwater]

It is hard to fathom just where the Opposition (and potential future government) stands on public transport these days.  The CoastConnect project has been around for some time and will provide the backbone for a rapid bus system connecting Maroochydore and Caloundra.  Now one of the local LNP members has said he will oppose it.  http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/05/30/proposed-road-plan-coastconnect-nicklin-way/

There are several problems here, the first being that CoastConnect is being opposed.  The second is that the project goes through other LNP electorates, so what are the views of those other MPs?  The third problem is we probably never will know because these are the people who were struck dumb when asked what they would do if they had $1 billion to spend on public transport on the Sunshine Coast and said they would hand responsibility to someone else.  Clearly, it would seem the $1 billion would not go towards CoastConnect.

And, when it comes to the LNP, it is all up to what Campbell Newman says from one day to the next.  All of this is policy-making LNP style -- populist, shoot from the hip, uncoordinated, no deep thinking or strategic planning.  And these people want to form government!

[#Metro]

This is the problem when people have big loss aversion reactions- they can't see past their own nose!
How are people going to get around on the Sunshine Coast if there is no PT? Spaceship?

Now one of the local LNP members has said he will oppose it.  http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/05/30/proposed-road-plan-coastconnect-nicklin-way/

Where is the 'banging head against wall' emoticon?

Sometimes I think the best thing for this state is a citizen exit program, where the government just funds plane tickets for permanent relocation to Perth [/sarcasm]

[Jonno]

I am 100% confident that the same local membr would be rolling out the "It's Progress" line if this was a freeway or tunnel being built.  "God Help Queensland! Because nothing can save our political Parties"!!

[Sunbus610]

"Only 1% of people use buses on the Coast, yet the government is looking to spend all this money and destroying all these people's lives," she said.

Proposed road plan concern
Roxanne Mccarty-O'Kane | 30th May 2011
Sunshine Coast Daily

Business and home owners along the Nicklin Way have been in a spin since the release of the State Government CoastConnect Concept Design and Impact Management Plan in February. The plan would resume parts of some houses and businesses to make way for bus and cycle ways, while some stores would lose valuable on and off-street car parking.

Despite no commitment to funding for the multi-million-dollar project from the Department of Transport and Main Roads, the uncertainty has already wreaked havoc for business owners and tenants. Businesses on the corner of Main Drv and Nicklin Way are among those feeling the pressure. Industrial and Hobby Fibreglass and Resin Supplies owner Wendy Netting said plans showed the complex was set to lose at least half of its car parks and potentially two entire buildings. Mrs Netting said although her business was well-established with 20 years in the industry, she was not confident they would survive restricted access during lengthy construction periods and subsequent loss of customers if the project went ahead.

"Only 1% of people use buses on the Coast, yet the government is looking to spend all this money and destroying all these people's lives," she said.

Main Drive Motors owner Mark Littlehales said the uncertainty surrounding the plans had led to early negotiations with his landlord.

>>> for the full article SUNSHINE COAST DAILY

What the?? I'm sure it's higher than that......

[SurfRail]

What the?? I'm sure it's higher than that......

I'd actually be surprised if it was 2% or more.  Gold Coast is only about 4%.

[Sunbus610]

What the?? I'm sure it's higher than that......

I'd actually be surprised if it was 2% or more.  Gold Coast is only about 4%.

Gee, I didn't realise public transport (primarily urban bus) usage on either of our coasts was actually that low.
Have people actually become that reliant on using their cars in these regions and why?? 

[ozbob]

My thoughts are that as congestion mounts and other issues impact, the share for public transport (and active) will start to rise significantly.  There is a change starting to occur, other issues that will impact include oil prices, planning policies and aging of populations.

[somebody]

What the?? I'm sure it's higher than that......

I'd actually be surprised if it was 2% or more.  Gold Coast is only about 4%.

Gee, I didn't realise public transport (primarily urban bus) usage on either of our coasts was actually that low.
Have people actually become that reliant on using their cars in these regions and why?? 

Could it be because of a lack of services, the lack of a central CBD which PT systems largely rely on, relatively easy parking and traffic congestion not as big of an issue on the Sunshine Coast?

[Arnz]

What the?? I'm sure it's higher than that......

I'd actually be surprised if it was 2% or more.  Gold Coast is only about 4%.

Gee, I didn't realise public transport (primarily urban bus) usage on either of our coasts was actually that low.
Have people actually become that reliant on using their cars in these regions and why??  

Could it be because of a lack of services, the lack of a central CBD which PT systems largely rely on, relatively easy parking and traffic congestion not as big of an issue on the Sunshine Coast?

Seems clear you've never visited up the coast.  

We do have a designated 'CBD', considered to be Maroochydore by everyone (including State Government documents).  Traffic in and out of Maroochydore on the main arterials (Sunshine Mwy, Nicklin Way) can be a issue at times during knock off time (peak hr).  Holiday periods (that's including the Free Bus period funded by the SCC taxpayers) can also face congestions at chokepoints.

Bus Services on the Trunk Routes isn't even that bad, every 15 minutes.  Every 30 min to some towns (Buderim, Nambour, University/Sippy Downs), and Milk Runs/Community 'welfare' runs are hourly (or less).

[Stillwater]

 There were times in the media when journalists would quote what people said, then point out the error of what was said in the interests of accuracy.

Nowadays, what we get is someone saying so-and-so is a cheat and a thief and (if we are lucky) some quotes from the other person along the lines of 'no, I'm not' – and we are none the wiser as to whether the person is a cheat and a gambler.

The nature of social media means that people then proceed to debate the falsehood.

The person quoted was talking off the top of their head -- they had no idea.  The facts are that 85 per cent of journeys on the Sunshine Coast are made by private vehicle and just under 3 per cent of trips to work were made using Public Transport, according to the 2006 census.  The figure would be higher now, given the PT improvements since then.

For the full picture on PT on the Sunshine Coast, read this document:
http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/addfiles/documents/opof/transport/sc_sustainable_tpt_strategy_1131.pdf

Page 56 has an artist's impression of the proposed new Maroochydore station, when CAMCOS finally is built.

[somebody]

I have.  The CBD, presuming you mean the bit around Sunshine Plaza, is a blink and you miss it affair.  It consists mostly of a large shopping centre.  Obviously a trip generator, but how many jobs are within a 10 minute walk?  Free parking is available in the vicinity also, at least when I have been there, which is a big determinant of PT use.

Not sure how many routes you are considering trunk, but are you confining to the 600+620?  These routes may be well patronised, but you need more to get a high PT take up.

I never said there was no traffic congestion, just much less.

[Stillwater]

What you have seen there, Simon, is to change dramatically.  Maroochydore will be transformed into the CBD for the Sunshine Coast -- a 200ha redevelopment.  Read about it here:
http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/sitePage.cfm?code=mpac-sp-psp

Ten thousand new residents, thousands of new jobs.  The developers are hanging out while the council completes the takeover of a golf course, which will provide the land.

North of Maroochydore, the Sunshine Coast Airport is to be redeveloped with the addition of a long east-west runway.  To the south, between Caloundra and Maroochydore, is Kawana, the site of the new University Hospital.  The SG is committed to building it.  In between is the University of the Sunshine Coast and a knowledge-based industries precinct.  Linking them all is CoastConnect and, eventually, CAMCOS.

[Stillwater]

The Sunshine Coast is the fourth largest local government area in Australia.  It has never has a central CBD before.  What's proposed is on the scale of the Parramatta CBD redevelopment, so pretty soon it won't be a 'blink of the eye' affair.

[Stillwater]

And, if people can't wade through the documentation, here is an overview: http://www.sunshinecove.com.au/pdf/DOMAIN%20FOCUS%20Jan%2011.pdf