Outer Sunshine Coast line patronage FY 12/13 to 18/19 (Elimbah to Gympie N.)

[ozbob]

Spreadsheet > https://backontrack.org/docs/patronage/2018_19/sunny_coast12_13to18_19.ods

[Gazza]

201,827 use all stations north of Landsborough, compared to 198,601 from Landsborough alone.

So around 550 passengers average per day north of Landsborough.

That I think could be easily handled by a 3 car shuttle from Landsborough, say hourly to Nambour, and four hourly to Gympie (Eg depart Gympie at 6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm)

Traveston I still dont get why we need to have it open when Cooran is 4.4km away.
It would mean a faster timetable because you don't have to pad it on the off chance someone will get on/off there.

[Arnz]

201,827 use all stations north of Landsborough, compared to 198,601 from Landsborough alone.

So around 550 passengers average per day north of Landsborough.

That I think could be easily handled by a 3 car shuttle from Landsborough, say hourly to Nambour, and four hourly to Gympie (Eg depart Gympie at 6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm)

Traveston I still dont get why we need to have it open when Cooran is 4.4km away.
It would mean a faster timetable because you don't have to pad it on the off chance someone will get on/off there.

I personally agree with Landsborough - Nambour/Gympie North shuttles.  But however, there's a new NGR stabling yard at Woombye that is currently stored x3 retired EMU units awaiting the scrappers. 

Also from memory the 'last' date given for NGR services starting on the Sunshine Coast line (to Nambour) was stated as "sometime in 2019" (aka late 2019, early 2020s or close to never). 

May as well use both the Woombye and existing Nambour yards to its proper capacity.

Gympie North services will not be receiving NGRs in the forseeable future due to ATP safe-working requirements.  The IMU100/120s are the only non-ATP equipped units permitted to travel north of Nambour provided there's a 3rd crew member aboard.

Woombye Stabling Source: https://www.queenslandrail.com.au/Community/Projects/Documents/Woombye%20fleet%20storage_November%202018%20v2.pdf

[SurfRail]

The yards will still store peak hour trains, it doesn't matter than they will be mainly terminating at Landsborough.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Bus numbers soar as residents leave car at home

A SPIKE in bus usage in the past 12 months has sparked renewed calls for a public transport fix.

Long-time rail advocate Jeff Addison said the massive spikes in bus patronage in the past 12 months showed people were willing to try to ease pressure on the local road network.

Massive increases were recorded in a number of northern bus services, including Tewantin, Noosa Junction, Sunrise Beach and Noosa Heads, fuelled largely by Noosa Shire Council's free bus travel for a total of nine weeks over the 2018 Christmas Holidays and for Easter 2019.

Increases of more than 40 per cent were recorded on some routes in the Noosa region.

"Free travel has its advantages for our roads," Mr Addison.

The Sunshine Coast Rail Back on Track spokesman said it was clear locals wanted better public transport and were "trying to use it despite the severe limitations in doing so".

"It is time for the state to act and force better bus transport into our region, as they have done with the population growth," he said.

"Comfortable times, connected routes and convenient locations will grow our transport use."

Mr Addison said the State Government deserved credit for its Fairer Fares policy of December 2016

He said it had encouraged a return to public transport.

"Reducing fares and optimising zones of travel, works," he said.

"It was an excellent initiative.

"More does need to be done to reverse the overall per capita decline in use and that can come with additional service improvements and new services to meet our growing need."

The TransLink data provided to Rail Back on Track also showed an increase of more than 15 per cent in rail patronage in the region since 2016-17.

In the past financial year rail usage climbed 4.66 per cent.

"We still use the train despite the fact that it's just a single track north of Beerburrum, that is uniquely shared with freight trains and long-distance trains to Cairns," Mr Addison said.

"We still use the train despite the fact that trains north of Nambour are limited to just two trains per day."

Rail usage increased by more than 17 per cent in the 2018-19 financial year at Yandina station, more than 14 per cent in Cooran and more than 13 per cent in Eudlo.

"Despite all the obstacles before us, public transport use is growing on the Sunshine Coast, but is yet to match per capita, our state imposed population push," Mr Addison said.

"Just imagine how much better it could be if there were trains, appropriate per capita, to other southeast Queensland regions."