Articles: Sunshine Coast light rail push

[ozbob]

From the Sunshine Coast Daily click here!

Sunshine Coast light rail push

Sunshine Coast light rail push

6th August 2011

DEMAND for light rail on the Sunshine Coast has been reignited by a community association this week.

Representatives from the Sippy Downs and District Community Association have pushed for Deputy Premier Paul Lucas to put his department to the task of considering light rail for the region.

On Thursday, members of the association and Kawana MP Jarrod Bleijie met Mr Lucas about the Palmview Development.

Plans to link the sprawling project with "greenlink" public transport routes has long been opposed by the association because they may be flood prone or environmentally damaging.

President Murry Lyons said better public transport plans needed to be put in place before they would be backed by the Sippy Downs community.

"We asked the Deputy Premier if during the analysis by an independent consultant and the council, additional options including light rail could be considered," Mr Lyons said.

"Mr Lucas was very receptive to this proposal."

[Stillwater]

He would be.  The longer projects are kept in the feasibility stage, the easier it is to put off implementing the final solution.  When Mr Lucas and others are asked about public transport solutions for the Sunshine Coast, and Kawana in particular, they can say 'we don't have a firm proposal yet, but we have a committee looking at it.  When I have the answers, we can consilder what is the appropriate step forward.'

It must be about time to review the Beerburrum to Nambour rail upgrade on the basis that the original feasibility study is a bit old and we 'need to have another look in the light of new developments there.'

[ozbob]

From the Sunshine Coast Daily click here!

Council's $2b light rail push

Council's $2b light rail push

Lahnee Thomas | 25th August 2011

THE wheels are in motion for the Sunshine Coast to get a $2 billion light rail system within 16 years.

Sunshine Coast councillors yesterday approved the formation of a Sunshine Coast Light Rail Taskforce to develop the infrastructure project's plans.

Councillors and business and community members will make up the taskforce.

Architect James Birrell, of Conlon Birrell, presented his plans at a Sippy Downs and District Residents Association meeting last week.

Feedback provided the basis for discussion at a council meeting yesterday.

Integrated Transport Systems portfolio holder Councillor Vivien Griffin moved for a taskforce to be created and community consultation to begin.

Cr Griffin said light rail was the preferred option for a public transport solution on the Sunshine Coast.

Fellow councillors strongly agreed.

"This proposed light rail system will be a city building project and will be transformational for the Sunshine Coast," Cr Griffin said.

Sunshine Coast Council will base the project on a Gold Coast model, which will become operational in 2014.

"At a recent meeting and workshop with representatives from the Gold Coast Council it was inspiring to see a vision in action," Cr Griffin said.

"They just said 'we are going to do this' and did it.

"Their project is set to cost $950 million, of which their council will contribute $120 million, with the rest of the funds coming from state and federal government.

"They saw this as a major economic development project for the Gold Coast."

Mr Birrell and his father Jim Birrell – a former Maroochy councillor, town planner and architect – have been planning the light rail system for more than six years.

They released their vision publicly two weeks ago.

Councillor Chris Thompson said the project would be a great investment for the Coast.

"The best time to implement this type of public transport infrastructure is when we don't have the large population such as the Gold Coast has," CrThompson said.

"This infrastructure will be in place when the population does increase over time," he said.

Over the next 10 years, major commercial and residential developments will start between Caloundra and Maroochydore with an estimated population growth of 8000 for Maroochydore, 50,000 for Caloundra South, 4500 for Sippy Downs, 17,000 for Palmview and 2500 for Kawana.

Mayor Bob Abbot said it would be a region-changing project.

"Timing is everything, and now is the right time and with a combined effort from the council, community and businesses, we can achieve this goal," Cr Abbot said.

"It is a fabulous opportunity for the Coast."

Cr Griffin said she would spend the remainder of her term as a councillor gathering support for the proposed project.

"I will build a coalition of support and I don't think it will be a difficult task," she said.

 

[Jonno]

Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast now have Light Rail projects/plans.  Brisbane? Gridlocked Busway and plans for more Road Tunnels. Time for Brisbane to stop building more useless roads and join the Global Transport Paradigm Shift. Tine for Light Rail conversion of busways and implementation on all major roads. Will cost less than the failed Clem 7 and soon to fail Airport Link and legacy Way...and will actually benefit our City!

[SurfRail]

I think it's good that SCRC is at least thinking about this. 

The Sunshine Coast is however in a position where BUZ style bus routes could be implemented now on a number of routes, provided the government sets aside enough seed capital to get the buses and drivers started. 

LRT is something that won't be needed for a long time up there, so identify and preserve the alignment and build the CoastConnect stations to take a tramway (eg don't just put them on the kerbs on either side of Nicklin Way, look at median or off-to-side running).

[Jonno]

Again how many trips are made each day? How many could/should be made by public transport? Then based on those volumes it should be decided the required forms of public transport.

[Arnz]

The industrial standoff between TAG management and Caloundra West/Marcoola drivers at Sunshine Coast Sunbus needs to be sorted first before any "fantasy file" stuff with the Sunshine Coast PT system can be sorted. 

Alternatively, the government can actually step up for once and take the contract off TAG, whilst bringing in a interim operator (with existing drivers and the government owned buses of the Sunbus fleets at Marcoola and Caloundra West) to operate services for the short term until a new contractor is found.  It would serve as a "you are a all on notice" warning to all TL private bus operators if they took that path.

[ozbob]

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/08/26/lnp-has-to-pledge-transport-funding-thompson/

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/08/26/open-for-business-population-growth-development/

[ozbob]

From the Sunshine Coast Daily click here!

LNP backing light rail

LNP backing light rail

Owen Jacques | 28th August 2011

HAVING trouble imagining what a light rail system could look like on the Sunshine Coast?

Imagine the lovechild of a tram and a Queensland Rail carriage gliding gently along the median-strip on Nicklin Way.

That is how Cr Chris Thompson pictures it.

The finance councillor wanted the LNP politicians on the Sunshine Coast to assure support of the project.

Member for Buderim, Steve Dickson, backed by Maroochydore MP Fiona Simpson, told Queensland Parliament that the plan had the LNP's full support.

Ms Simpson said the council would do well to work out how it would work and what it would cost.

"I support an integrated transport system," Ms Simpson said.

"I do support light rail – it will take federal, state and local government support.

"It is really helpful when the councils do contribute to doing their own feasibility plans."

The eventual goal is to have all the planning done and community support galvanised, so a case for funding becomes impossible to refuse.

Transport councillor Vivien Griffin will lead the charge to galvanise support for the $2 billion before she leaves the chambers permanently next year.

Deputy Mayor Tim Dwyer is also working in the light rail group to speed things up.

Cr Thompson said it took the Gold Coast 16 years to finally secure their system but the Sunshine Coast could do it faster.

"We can do it in a lot less time if we're smart enough to learn from some of the challenges they've encountered," Cr Thompson said.

"Business leaders need to drive it and everyone had to be singing the same message.

"Whatever the question was, light rail was the answer."

Noosa Chamber of Commerce has asked the northern Coast be included in the light rail plan.

So far, the system would link the future Maroochydore CBD with the Kawana hospitals, Palmview and Sippy Downs and Caloundra.

It may then be extended to include the Sunshine Coast airport and even the Hyatt Coolum.

Connecting the tracks to Noosa and existing heavy-gauge lines may come later.

"I think it's about seizing an opportunity," Cr Thompson said.

"You would order carriages, purchasing more at a discount with the Gold Coast."

Cr Thompson said this was more than a way of moving people, it was about connecting areas and boosting our economy.

[O_128]

SC residents need to think hard about this. Light rail only works with density. The GC is going to density the entire light rail corridor with 300 stories plus. SC residents will need to allow the same thing along any future corridor.