Three new bus routes for the Sunshine Coast

[ozbob]

https://translink.com.au/about-translink/media-releases/details/6626#.V4Q3wXvo9w4.twitter

Three new bus routes for the Sunshine Coast

Tuesday 12 July 2016

The Sunshine Coast bus network is being upgraded and improved around the new Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) and in Nambour ready for the SCUH opening in April 2017.

TransLink spokesperson Miguel Holland said the Department of Transport and Main Roads was working on a new bus route for the Sunshine Coast University Hospital and two new routes for growing residential areas near Nambour.

Customers will be able to travel to the new hospital from key locations across the coast including Maroochydore, Caloundra and the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC),Mr Holland said.

This new route 611 (Maroochydore to the SCUH) would operate generally every 30 minutes on weekdays and hourly on weekends, including major stops at Mooloolaba and Kawana.

Existing route 607 (Caloundra to USC via Kawana) would also be upgraded to run generally every half hour between 5am and 9pm and will also stop at the SCUH servicing the hospital during core operating hours.

These services will be a vital link for both hospital staff and students.

Maroochydore, Caloundra and Sippy Downs customers will also have access to weekend bus travel to the hospital from 6am to 9pm."

Mr Holland said two new proposed bus routes in Nambour would provide greater access to public transport within developing residential areas such as Woombye, western Nambour, eastern Burnside and Palmwoods.

The infrequent loop route 639 (Nambour area local service loop) is set to be replaced with two new hail 'n' ride routes 637 (Nambour local loop) and 638 (Nambour to Palmwoods loop)," Mr Holland said."

Route 637 will operate generally every 60 minutes seven days a week, providing weekend buses for the first time to western Nambour and eastern Burnside."

Route 638 will replace the Palmwoods loop of route 639, with greater coverage in Woombye and Palmwoods.

Nambour customers will notice more direct routes, more regular bus services including on weekends and an increase in the number of bus connections with trains at Nambour station."

Mr Holland said TransLink would host local information sessions for the Nambour network review in Nambour only and the SCUH service change at Caloundra, Kawana, Buderim, Sippy Downs and Maroochydore with an open online feedback portal for customers to have their say on the proposed bus changes from Monday, 18 July to Sunday, 14 August.

Full details including times and locations will soon be available online on the TransLink community engagement hub haveyoursay.translink.com.au or by calling 13 12 30, anytime.

Last updated: Tuesday 12 July 2016

[Fares_Fair]

 

[Fares_Fair]

Seven Local News (Sunshine Coast) to air a story on these very welcome changes.

[ozbob]

 

[Stillwater]

All good stuff, all logical.  Serving people wider afield to get to the new tertiary hospital too.

[Arnz]

Also to add the new SCU Public Hospital Bus Station is also taking shape as well, and will assumably be taking on those services including the existing 607. 

As of current, the existing 607 stops at the bus stop located  at the back of the SCU Private Hospital (next to the park).

[ozbob]

FULL STORY: Three new bus routes have been proposed for the Sunshine Coast. https://t.co/tqHMquhWfV

— 7 News SunshineCoast (@7NewsSC) July 13, 2016

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Buderim bus service could be slashed

COAST residents will be impacted if proposed changes to Translink bus services go ahead.

Member for Buderim Steve Dickson warned of a reduction in frequency from 30 minutes to 1 hour for bus route 614 leaving Sunshine Plaza, travelling through North Buderim, Buderim, Glenfields estate and Mountain Creek to Kawana Shopping World and on to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital ...

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Have your say:
Nambour bus network review
> https://t.co/QZu9iSzaLJ#qldpol

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) July 17, 2016

[ozbob]

Have your say:
Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) service change
> https://t.co/NkqwD445vN#qldpol

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) July 17, 2016

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast University Hospital Service Change

The proposed changes will support the planned opening of the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) in early 2017. Key benefits include:

·         New facilities at the new SCUH, including a new bus station and introduction of one new bus route

·         Direct services to SCUH from Maroochydore, Caloundra, University of Sunshine Coast and destinations in between

·         Weekend services will be introduced to some areas where they did not previously run, operating every hour

·         Increase in service frequency and hours of operation for route 607, servicing the core SCUH operating hours

·         Route 611 (Maroochydore, Mooloolaba, Kawana and SCUH) is a new route. It will operate every 30 minutes on weekdays, and every hour on weekends.



Nambour Bus Network Service Change

The proposed new Nambour bus network will provide improved services and an easier to use network. Key benefits include:

·         More regular services to meet the needs of the community

·         Weekend services introduced  to some areas where they did not previously run, operating every hour

·         Greater coverage to newly developed areas with new routes 637 and 638

·         Improved connectivity to Sunshine Coast line train services

·         Better connections between Nambour and the wider Sunshine Coast and South East Queensland region.



Community Consultation Program

·         From Monday 18 July to Sunday 14 August 2016, TransLink will be holding a four-week public consultation program on the proposed service changes.

·         This will provide the community and stakeholders with an opportunity to learn more about the proposed changes and provide feedback through a range of methods, including an online survey and community information sessions. 

·         Information sessions will be held in Nambour, Maroochydore, Sippy Downs, Buderim, Caloundra and Kawana, where customers can speak to TransLink staff about the changes.

·         Feedback from customers will be used to inform planning and help finalise the new bus network.

·         The consultation program will be widely promoted through a range of channels, including on the TransLink website, print advertising in local newspapers, social media, signage at bus stops and stations, and by TransLink Customer Liaison Officers travelling on board services across the Sunshine Coast.

·         Customers can find out more about the consultation program by visiting haveyoursay.translink.com.au or contacting TransLink on 13 12 30.

TransLink's online community engagement hub --> http://haveyoursay.translink.com.au

[SurfRail]

As I've already pointed out to them directly, their consultation material tends to be rather poor.

They have recently come up with this interactive map concept based on their Google applet - same thing was used for Moreton Bay, Mackay and now these 2.

The map:

- Doesn't show the routes clearly
- Has a clunky interface
- Makes it difficult to see individual routes in the context of the entire network

They need a proper PDF powered with decent cartography.  The QConnect timetables all have high quality underlying cartography and they are much easier to read than the consultation materials, or anything in SEQ for that matter.  Why are there so many different standards?

[ozbob]

It seems most things are fragmented. 

Kick TransLink into touch.  Set up PTQ. Give it the authority and resources to sort it all out!

[City Designer]

Given there are 8 buses per hour passing Kawana (600, 607, 611) I would have liked one of those routes to go via Brightwater, which currently only has the indirect 618. If the 611 went via Maroochydore, Mooloolaba, Brightwater and SCUH it would have a similar travel time and open up connectivity to the corridor behind the coastal corridor. The Kawana to SCUH trip is serviced by the 607.

[ozbob]

From the Sunshine Coast Daily 3rd August 2016

OUR FIGHT FOR A BETTER PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICE

FOR more than a decade, Jeff Addison has taken a train to work in Brisbane from his Palmwoods' home.

Now he has to take a bus to Maroochydore.

You'd hope travelling much closer to home would be a whole lot easier on public transport. But the sad reality is, it isn't.

The passionate Rail Back on Track advocate is experiencing first-hand the limitations of the bus.

Even though the population of Palmwoods has exploded in the last decade, he would either have to hop on a school bus to get to Buderim and then Maroochydore or catch a bus to Nambour to get to Maroochydore.

The minimum time for the 18 kilometre journey on public transport is one hour and 23 minutes.

Instead, Mr Addison walks 40 minutes to Woombye to catch a more regular service.

"Even though Woombye is half the size of Palmwoods, it has 41 bus services to Maroochydore a day," Mr Addison said.

His 19-year-old son, Daniel, faces similar limitations trying to use public transport to get to work in Cooroy.

"Taking the train to Cooroy would be quickest and convenient, but the first service north leaves at 11.30am," Mr Addison said.

"That's hopeless for anyone who is working."

Mr Addison has approached Transport Minister Stirling Hinchcliffe about the issue.

He was optimistic the situation would be improved with the State Government's latest announcement on bus route changes. But it didn't.

"They extended the loop (in Palmwoods), but there are still only two services a day."

A Translink spokesman said there were a range of services in rural or low density areas to enable residents to access major public transport hubs.

This included services like the Maleny to Nambour bus service, Maleny to Landborough bus service, Council Link and Council Flexilink trial services.

Woombye was serviced by the 610 (Nambour to Maroochydore) bus route as it was easily accessed from the Nambour Connection Road and driving this service to Palmwoods would "negatively impact the majority of customers travelling between Nambour and Maroochydore".

But the public transport services was engaging with residents to look at new and improved routes in the future.

The Sunshine Coast Daily in conjunction with Maurice Blackburn is exploring the region's public transport options to investigate how it can be made more viable.

[#Metro]

I think someone should take up the challenge and propose a formal frequent bus network for both the Sunshine Coast and Ipswich that can be incorporated into the New Bus Network Proposal for these regions. There would be a current network map and a proposed network map.

I would suggest the final proposals go to external review (Peter Quick perhaps?) and public comment as did the original New Bus Network Proposal in 2014 before finalisation.

[ozbob]

20th January 2017

Media Release
Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe

3 new routes, 401 extra bus services

401 additional bus services and three new routes are being rolled out on the Sunshine Coast by TransLink from Monday, January 23.

Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games, Stirling Hinchliffe said new bus services would connect staff, students and patients with the new Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

"The Palaszczuk Government is moving to put extra bus services in place ahead of the opening of the new Sunshine Coast University Hospital in April with staff already on site and students preparing for first semester," Minister Hinchliffe said.

"New bus routes, additional services and later operating hours mean better public transport connections from key locations across the Sunshine Coast to the region's soon-to-be opened University Hospital."

TransLink's Sunshine Coast network improvements include:

    New route 611 -Maroochydore to the hospital every 30 minutes on weekdays
    New route 637 -Nambour Local Loop
    New route 638 -Nambour – Palmwoods Loop 

"I'm delighted that the improvements to TransLink's Sunshine Coast bus network have been built by passengers for passengers," the Minister said.

"The Sunshine Coast network has been reshaped by TransLink with the results of recent community surveys to help deliver better services for growing communities such as Woombye and eastern Burnside.

"More morning and evening services have been added to the timetable, averaging more than 400 across the week, with direct routes to the new hospital from Maroochydore, Kawana, Caloundra and the University of the Sunshine Coast.

"Combined with the Palaszczuk Government's Fairer Fares initiative, this is a great investment in connected communities and convenient, affordable public transport for the Sunshine Coast's fastest growing urban areas."

For more information about TransLink's Sunshine Coast bus route improvements visit: https://translink.com.au/about-translink/projects-and-initiatives/sunshine-coast-university-hospital

Or use the journey planner on the TransLink smartphone app, on the website at www.tramslink.com.au or by calling 13 12 30, anytime.