Article: Better public transport in motion (for Sunshine Coast region)

[Sunbus610]

Better public transport in motion
Kathy Sundstrom | 16th October 2010
Sunshine Coast Daily

SUNSHINE Coast councillor and transport chairwoman Vivien Griffin has revealed exciting new initiatives due to be rolled out in the next couple of months.

The Sunshine Coast council is encouraging people to take up public transport to prevent the prospect of "10-lane highways" by 2032.
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BETTER public transport may be only a few months away.

Sunshine Coast councillor and transport chairwoman Vivien Griffin has revealed exciting new initiatives due to be rolled out in the next couple of months.

One major change sure to please Maroochy North Shore residents is the free holiday bus service that looks set to be extended to this region in time for the peak Christmas holidays.

The long-awaited bus stop at the Sunshine Coast Airport should also be completed soon.

Read more HERE

[Stillwater]

The prospects for Public Transport on the Sunshine Coast would be better served had the Plainning and Infrastructure Minister, Mr Stirling Hinchliffe, agreed to the council provisions of the Palmview and Caloundra South structure (developmental) plans.  Mr Hinchliffe removed from the Caloundra South proposal, before he seized all planning control from the council, the requirement that the CAMCOS rail project proceed within 2 years of blocks being sold.  Caloundra South will be home to 50,000 people.  The council negotiated with the developer of the Palmview development (housing another 18,000 people) a considerable contribution towards an east-west 'greenbelt' that would have included a dedicated busway connecting Palmview with Kawana.  This would have made Palmview the Sunshine Coast community most connected with public transport.  Mr Hinchliffe is moving to halt the east-west greenbelt also.  The reason?  So that both sites can offer 'more affordable housing'.  People living there will be forced to use their cars more, which will make their lifestyle less affordable.  Meanwhile, Mr Hinchliffe continues to espouse his belief in transport oriented communities while stopping these essential elements of good living on the Sunshine Coast.

[#Metro]

Sunshine Coast is heading the way of the Gold Coast, it's just at an earlier stage of development.
Serious thought to PT needs to be put in place before a single house is built. Once the roads go in, it is too late to start thinking about PT.

A proper rail solution (heavy rail) linked to a distributor BRT bus system (whether that be like cityglider or reserved lanes) is probably what's needed.

Affordable housing, unaffordable living.

[Stillwater]

I would like to be a fly on the wall in the discussion between the Transport Portfolio and the Infrastructure and Planning Portfolio about why a council that seems to be doing the right thing in planning a PT corridor through a new 'city' of 18,000 people (and receiving developer financial backing for it) should have its plans overturned.  Here is the concept: http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/addfiles/documents/projects/palmview_fs01_greenlink.pdf

[Stillwater]

Here's how the State Government watered down some of the more important provisions of the Caloundra South development, soon to be home to 50,000 people.  Note the subtle wording changes regarding CAMCOS: http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/addfiles/documents/calsouth/cs_key_issues.pdf

The State Government has taken over all aspects of planning Caloundra South, with no right of appeal!

[#Metro]

I can't access the sunshine coast council website, perhaps their site is down for maintainence, but AIUI the transport link was rejected becuase it encroached on wetland or similar which contained endangered fauna.

[Sunbus610]

Fellow Sunshine Coasters' and any others interested, the topics and agenda being raised at today's Council meeting prove to be a rather interesting read:-

Topics covered

COUNCIL SUBMISSION ON THE DRAFT CONNECTING SEQ 2031 DOCUMENT
App A - Submission to Department of Transport and Main
Roads on Connecting SEQ 2031 (SPC Att Pg 233)
Attachments: Att 1 - Summary of draft Connecting SEQ 2031 - An Integrated
Regional Transport Plan for South East Queensland
From pages 86 to 94

MAROOCHY NORTH SHORE / COOLUM SERVICES TO NAMBOUR AND
MAROOCHYDORE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT LEVY INITIATIVES
Author: Project Manager State Transport Projects, George Pegoraro
Regional Strategy and Planning
Attachments: Att 1 - Map 1 Area Under Consideration (SPC Att Pg 263)
Att 2 - Map 2 Existing Services (SPC Att Pg 264)
Att 3 - Map 3 Bus Routes of Interest (SPC Att Pg 265)
Att 4 - Map 4 Council Cab Catchments (SPC Att Pg 266)
Att 5 - Map 5 Proposed Direct Single Seat Service Coolum to Nambour
From pages 96 to 106  from me on this one

Click HERE to read the full agenda report for today's council meeting

[colinw]

Hi SunBus610,

Do you know what the Sunshine Coast council's position on CAMCOS rail is?

--Col

[ozbob]

The elephant in the room, no oil ...

Most think it will be drive on!! 

[#Metro]

Something interesting on page 103 as well  

[colinw]

I would like to be a fly on the wall in the discussion between the Transport Portfolio and the Infrastructure and Planning Portfolio about why a council that seems to be doing the right thing in planning a PT corridor through a new 'city' of 18,000 people (and receiving developer financial backing for it) should have its plans overturned.  Here is the concept: http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/addfiles/documents/projects/palmview_fs01_greenlink.pdf

IMHO this was called in because the council was doing too good a job, and some of their provisions (e.g. CAMCOS to proceed) would have shown the Government up.

This particular "call in" has a funny smell to it.

[Sunbus610]

Council approves direct Coolum to Nambour bus trial
Sunshine Coast Council - Media Release

17 Nov 2010

Sunshine Coast Council will trial a direct Coolum to Nambour bus service in the latest initiative funded by the Public Transport Levy.

Integrated Transport Systems Portfolio Councillor Vivien Griffin said that the new service demonstrates how the public transport levy is being used to create an accessible and connected system for the region.

"Council today approved plans for the development of a trial for a direct bus service between Coolum and Nambour," Cr Griffin said.

"The proposal is for four return bus services a day, seven days a week between Coolum and Nambour including the morning and afternoon peak hour periods.

"The proposed route will run from Coolum past the Sunshine Coast Airport, via Bli Bli to Nambour, including the Nambour Hospital and will be an all stop service."

Cr Griffin said that the trial service will greatly improve the access from Coolum to Nambour.

"We anticipate the trial will run until 30 June 2011, with the estimated $250,000 running costs being met through the Public Transport Levy," Cr Griffin said.

"The trial will allow us to assess the level of demand for a direct service along this route, and help to determine whether the changes will meet customer demands for timeliness, efficiency and frequency.

"We will continue to work in partnership with the state government to build and maintain a high quality transport network for the region."

More information on the trial will be released early in 2011.

The decision to approve the trial bus route was made at the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Wednesday 17 November 2010.

Media enquiries:  communication@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

All other enquiries:  mail@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

Refer to councils website HERE

[Sunbus610]

"Council today approved plans for the development of a trial for a direct bus service between Coolum and Nambour," Cr Griffin said.

"The proposal is for four return bus services a day, seven days a week between Coolum and Nambour including the morning and afternoon peak hour periods.

"The proposed route will run from Coolum past the Sunshine Coast Airport, via Bli Bli to Nambour, including the Nambour Hospital and will be an all stop service."

Cr Griffin said that the trial service will greatly improve the access from Coolum to Nambour.

I do hope they have the sense to run this new trial bus service, between Coolum and Nambour, along Petrie Creek Road, of which currently has no bus service, rather than use Bli Bli Road which is already serviced by route 602.