Sunshine Coast Bus Changes start November 25.

[Arnz]

Advertising has popped up around the bus stops.  Took this photo whilst at Kawana waiting for the 605.

Anyone on the board wanting to catch the last 601 and/or 613, last services operate on Friday November 22.

[STB]

Timetables are now on the website via typing in a bus route and selecting the D Day for the changes.

PDF timetables not up yet...probably later today perhaps...?

[ozbob]

PDFs now available

http://translink.com.au/travel-information/service-updates/seq-bus-network-review-2013/sunshine-coast

Click on the route ..

eg. http://jp.translink.com.au/travel-information/network-information/buses/600

[Set in train]

Tell you what, I'd love to type translink.com.au/change and receive change on BCC bus routes!   

Back to topic, as you were...

[Arnz]

Summary of the changes.

http://translink.com.au/travel-information/service-updates/seq-bus-network-review-2013/sunshine-coast?utm_source=translink&utm_medium=primary-tile&utm_content=sunshine-coast&utm_campaign=seq-bus-network-review

600    Caloundra to Maroochydore via Mooloolaba    Weekday frequency will increase and will travel more directly through Cotton Tree.
601    Caloundra to Maroochydore    Will be removed due to low patronage.
602    Caloundra to Maroochydore via Mountain Creek    Will be realigned to service Maroochy Boulevard. Some AM and PM services will also be removed to better match passenger demand.
603    Bellvista to Corbould Park    Some AM and PM services will be removed to better match passenger demand.
605    Caloundra to Landsborough    A number of extra trips will be added during the week, so that more trains are met by buses at Landsborough station. This route will also be truncated at Caloundra and the loop currently operating through Little Mountain will be removed to improve service efficiency.
607    Caloundra to University via Kawana    Will continue to connect Caloundra to the University of the Sunshine Coast, but will now travel via Kawana Town Centre and Kawana Shoppingworld. Its timetable will also better match university class start and finish times.
609    Pelican Waters to Caloundra    Will be redesigned to provide the residents of Pelican Waters with a more direct service.
610    Nambour to Maroochydore via Kunda Park    Will be truncated at Maroochydore. Some AM and PM services will also be removed to better match passenger demand.
612    Nambour to Maroochydore via Bli Bli    Will be slightly extended into Bli Bli. Some AM and PM services will also be removed to better match passenger demand.
613    Twin Waters to Maroochydore    Will be removed due to low patronage.
614    Kawana to Maroochydore via Mountain Creek    Some AM and PM services will be removed to better match passenger demand.
615    Maroochydore to Landsborough via University    A number of extra trips will be added during the week, so that more trains are met by buses at Landsborough station.
616    Maroochydore to University via Alexandra Headland    Will have its timetable changed to better align with class start and finish times at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
617    Maroochydore to Sippy Downs via University    Will be realigned through Sippy Downs to provide residents of Sippy Downs with a more direct service. It will also be realigned in Maroochydore to service Maroochy Blvd. The timetable will change to better align with class start and finish times at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Some AM and PM services will be removed to better match passenger demand.
618    Sippy Downs to Kawana via University    Will be altered to service new areas, particularly Brightwater Estate. It will also have its frequency reduced from 30 minutes to 60 minutes to better match passenger demand. The timetable will also be changed to better align with class times at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
619    Kawana to Maroochydore via Alexandra Headland    Some AM and PM services will be removed to better match passenger demand.
620    Noosa Heads to Maroochydore via Peregian Beach    Will no longer travel via Bli Bli in the evenings. There will also be changes to Sunday morning services.
622    Maroochydore to Noosa Junction via Airport, Coolum    Will no longer travel via Bli Bli.
626/627/628/629    626 - Tewantin to Sunrise Beach via Noosa Heads
627 - Tewantin to Sunshine Beach via Noosa Heads
628 - Parklands to Noosa Junction via Noosa Civic
629 - Tewantin to Noosa Junction via Noosa Civic    These routes are having their timings adjusted to better match current road conditions. Some AM and PM services will also be removed to better match passenger demand.
630/631    630 - Noosa to Nambour via Eumundi
631 - Noosa to Nambour via Eumundi & Cooroy    These routes will have their times changed and additional trips added to meet more trains at Nambour station.
632    Noosa to Cooran via Cooroy and Pomona    No changes*.
636    Nambour to University via Buderim    Will have its timetable changed to better align with class start and finish times at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
639    Nambour area Local Service (Loop)    No changes; however, we will further examine this route in the future*.

[ozbob]

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/tabled-paper-petition?PetNum=2176

The petition of citizens of Queensland draws to the attention of the House Translink's proposed changes to the 609 bus service route servicing Caloundra, Golden Beach and Pelican Waters, due to come into effect by late 2013.  The changes include bypassing Oxley St and Golden Beach Esplanade (one of the busiest and centrally located strips in the area), which residents, many elderly, feel will leave them stranded.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to review the proposed changes to the 609 bus service route, carry-out further consultation with Caloundra residents and stakeholders, and reinstate Golden Beach Esplanade as a bus stop along this route.

[ozbob]

^ 2132 signatures currently on the e-petition.  Meetings with TransLink have not been productive apparently.

It does seem there is a case.  I suggest they go to the Sunshine Coast Daily (if they haven't already). 

[ozbob]

Speak of the devil ... LOL

Residents say they'll miss bus --> http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/residents-say-theyll-miss-bus/2049608/

ABOUT 70 bus users rallied in a Golden Beach park yesterday to save the route 609 service.

A petition of more than 2000 signatures was presented to Member for Caloundra, Mark McArdle, pushing for a review of its proposed changes to the route.

Under the proposed changes, the bus service will no longer run via Oxley St and the Esplanade, or Anning Ave.

The locals claim the changes will make the bus less accessible for residents rather than accessible to more residents, as Translink claims.

Principal petitioner Muriel Bates said the current service was well used by people of all ages and walks of life.

But she was concerned the changes would force some elderly and frail residents to walk up to 1km to catch a bus.

Muriel Sheldrake, 82, who catches the bus from the Esplanade, said she would have to walk three blocks to catch a bus if the 609 route changed.

"I've been catching this bus for seven years and it's not going to be there any more," she said.

Mrs Bates said TransLink could not rely on Go Card fares as a guide to service usage because the machines were out of order so often that many passengers went unrecorded.

Mrs Sheldrake said the current service was so well patronised that she had difficulty getting a seat on Thursday last week.

Mr McArdle has arranged for residents to meet Transport Minister, Scott Emerson, next week to discuss the bus route.

Mr McArdle encouraged the residents to continue campaigning strongly if they wanted to maintain their service.

"If we don't keep the momentum going forward, we don't deserve to win the argument," he said.

Golden Beach Progress Association president, Mick Graham, said concerned residents should also contact their local councillor Tim Dwyer, and the transport strategy portfolio head, councillor Rick Baberowski, about the issue.

[bcasey]

I'm not familar with the area, but looking at the route for the 609 on http://translink.com.au/travel-information/service-updates/seq-bus-network-review-2013/sunshine-coast/maps, and cross-referencing with google street view, it looks like the area that is the focus of this petition is a long narrow area of Golden Beach, bordered by the ocean on the east side, and a park area and canals on the other side. The current one-way loop route goes along the roads nearest to these boundaries, while the new route goes along the roads bordering the park and canals.

One-way Loops may seem like a good idea in that it looks like they are providing more coverage, but in fact they do not, since on the return journey you have either travel a longer journey on the bus to get off at the stop you boarded on your original journey, or walk much further from a stop on the other side of your residence. Jarret Walker talks about it in his book, and this blog entry helps explain why they are not a good idea, http://www.humantransit.org/2009/07/on-loops.html#more

The resident do have a point though. The potential coverage for the proposed route in this area is limited somewhat by the fact it is going along one edge of the area. I would propose a compromise, and send the bus down along the streets in the middle of this area, pulling off Baldwin Street into Oxley street like the old route, head down either Hume Street or Kennedy Parade, then Burke Street onto Cook Street, and then onto Palmer Avenue, before going onto Beattle Street for the rest of the proposed route. I imagine new stops would probably have to be built along this new route as well.

Checking the map, there is a Primary School along the Park side boundary of this area, and this may be one of the reasons why they went with the route that they have proposed. This does put the planners in a bit of a pickle, with two groups of potentially vunerable people, elderly people living near the ocean or young children going to the primary school.

[longboi]

They will probably end up keeping their loop and of the 2132 people that signed the petition, maybe 10 will ever catch a bus.

LD, take note. This is what you have to deal with in the real world.

[SurfRail]

I'm going to be perfectly honest and say I actually can't understand why it doesn't just go along The Esplanade or do a bit of both.

If the geniuses on the Gold Coast team planned this it would no doubt be 2 separate 2 hourly routes, only one of which goes to the Pelican Waters shops and neither of which run after 4pm.  Be very glad you've got what you've got up there.

[#Metro]

They will probably end up keeping their loop and of the 2132 people that signed the petition, maybe 10 will ever catch a bus.

LD, take note. This is what you have to deal with in the real world.

I'm happy to take the heat. They may or may not have a case. I'm not familiar with the area.

In general, the issue arises because we are not HONEST about the FULL costs and benefits (to EVERYONE that is). When was the last time you saw TransLink print out the annual cost of the bus routes? That's right NEVER publish it publicly. Some of these bus services cost multi-millions of dollars to put on and barely recover anything. If they are marginal routes where alternatives exists then we are wasting money. And I am against waste because I see waste as a gross inequity and inequality - people who have decent services are depriving others of decent services because they can't get off their butt and transfer. Or walk 100m. Or whatever. And then they lump the cost on everyone else to boot. That's not fair. That's not being caring. That's not helping the community. That's the exact opposite.

If they want to lobby so hard to keep their route, fine, calculate how much more it costs and then put a levy on each property within 800 m of the bus stops that people want to not change. The people whose names and addresses are on the petitions can all be phoned up and asked what their opinion is on increasing their rates to fund a transit levy contribution. I'm all for people getting their own way so long as THEY PAY for special treatment themselves and do not take money from everyone else for their own personal taxi.

The people who have something to lose are always going to make the LOUDEST NOISE because they are going to have loss aversion reactions and they are going to make other people pay. The people who benefit are not going to say anything because you can't be offended about losing something you never had.

The fallacy that I have to deal with over and over again is to only consider the people who use the service and not consider the effects on everybody. Everybody else matters too because they're paying.

* For the record, my comments are general in nature as I'm not familiar with the local area

[James]

The 609's suggestion of loop retention should be scoffed at and burnt at the stake. Pax left "out in the cold" are only 800m from the other stops anyway, not to mention unless they enjoy wasting time on loops, would have to do this 800m walk in at least one direction anyway.

They will probably end up keeping their loop and of the 2132 people that signed the petition, maybe 10 will ever catch a bus.

This is unfortunately the reality of PT. I think this meme sums things up accurately.



(Slightly misused, but close enough, probably needs a granny instead of an overly protective mother).

[Arnz]

As someone that actually is from the area, the suburb of Golden Beach is known for being one of the "retirement" villages of the region and has the nickname of "God's waiting room" among the younger residents.  However, I do agree that many residents jump and down especially when they barely use the service at all.  I can also confirm that the reports of the  "609 service being packed" is definitely not the case and it's half-full at best.  There are no other alternatives apart from the taxi service. 

Perhaps the suggestion of the council subsidized FlexiLink for the elderly among the removed stops that may miss out assuming the revised route does go ahead in 2 weeks.  An on-call service similar to the FlexiLink in parts of the Ipswich area.  However, we (SCRC) taxpayers will have to pay for it via the PT levy.

Another alternative option is the current 609 route is retained, but is now also co-funded by the taxpayers of the SCRC (meaning the rest of us has to subsidise them), and they get their own "special" timetables to denote that their route is funded by the SCRC (similar to the old 623 and 632 timetables - before 632 funding was transferred to TL and 623 was axed).

Edit: However, I'm personally in favor of splitting the 609 route into a separate Pelican Waters and Golden Beach route (as opposed to the current options being shown).  But at the same time split the 603 and connect Pelican Waters to Corbould Park/Little Mountain via Caloundra as the Route 603 and Bellvista to Golden Beach via Caloundra Hospital as Route 609.  That way both routes still has the all-important Hospital Access (esp for Golden Beach residents).  Both would keep their alignments, however Pelican Waters would terminate at the nearby retirement village just down the road from the shopping centre.

[ozbob]

... I'm personally in favor of splitting the 609 route into a separate Pelican Waters and Golden Beach route (as opposed to the current options being shown).  But at the same time split the 603 and connect Pelican Waters to Corbould Park/Little Mountain via Caloundra as the Route 603 and Bellvista to Golden Beach via Caloundra Hospital as Route 609.  That way both routes still has the all-important Hospital Access (esp for Golden Beach residents).  Both would keep their alignments, however Pelican Waters would terminate at the nearby retirement village just down the road from the shopping centre.

Thanks Arnz.  Seems a sensible approach. 

Guys, when you are 80 not out plus, you will not always see things in just rationalist terms. Mobility is an issue, particularly when hips and knees start playing up, and this is something that affects many as you age.  Want a tip, take an arthroaid capsule daily now, while you have good joints and mobility.  Seniors generally don't mind too much travelling a few extra minutes on a bus doing a loop.  Hey I love my hour frequency on the 524 out of peak, particularly if the train is late, might have to wait an hour and 3/4 ... lol

I think there will be a compromise on this.  Seems to be the only real sticking point with the changes overall on the Sunny Coast.  So that is good.

[Arnz]

They will probably end up keeping their loop and of the 2132 people that signed the petition, maybe 10 will ever catch a bus.

LD, take note. This is what you have to deal with in the real world.

Looks like TransLink stood their ground on this one.  Changes going ahead from tomorrow.

But who knows if the folks may continue campaigning past the change date.   Perhaps go to the council and have them (ie us taxpayers) fund some form of transport (whether if its some form of Flexilink taxi, or another bus route funded by council as a 'trial') at the disused stops?

[longboi]

They will probably end up keeping their loop and of the 2132 people that signed the petition, maybe 10 will ever catch a bus.

LD, take note. This is what you have to deal with in the real world.

Looks like TransLink stood their ground on this one.  Changes going ahead from tomorrow.

But who knows if the folks may continue campaigning past the change date.   Perhaps go to the council and have them (ie us taxpayers) fund some form of transport (whether if its some form of Flexilink taxi, or another bus route funded by council as a 'trial') at the disused stops?

There may actually be an opportunity for a council-funded DRT service in the near future, but not another 'trial' route (i.e. Hinterland Connect). They are just a bastard to deal with.

[techblitz]

I cant believe how many people signed that petition...puts inala to shame....very good effort by all involved....just a shame it didnt work out for them...

[Arnz]

I cant believe how many people signed that petition...puts inala to shame....very good effort by all involved....just a shame it didnt work out for them...

It also goes to show why the region is taken for granted by both major parties.  Hence the recent success of Palmer United in the recent federal election.  Fairfax is now the most marginal federal seat in the country, and both parties will want it in 2016/early 2017. 

Regardless of how Clive Palmer performs for Fairfax this term, there is now a good chance that there will be 'pork-barrelling' from the Liberals offering "carrots" such as Bruce Highway/Sunshine Mwy upgrades in the electorate, just to get the seat back from Palmer.

[#Metro]

Looks like TransLink stood their ground on this one.  Changes going ahead from tomorrow.

But who knows if the folks may continue campaigning past the change date.   Perhaps go to the council and have them (ie us taxpayers) fund some form of transport (whether if its some form of Flexilink taxi, or another bus route funded by council as a 'trial') at the disused stops?

Given that 2000 people don't really catch the bus, it should disperse quickly. Lots of protests with Gold Coast Light Rail, lot's of people filling town halls etc. Did it mean that GCLRT was the wrong choice? Nope. Everyone who opposed it will be outnumbered by those (much quieter) people who will benefit from it.

The most noise is made by people with the most to lose. They're not always representative. Same with the bus review...

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> You could hardly call the buses a service

[Arnz]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> You could hardly call the buses a service

Some folks were caught out by the lack of notice for Sunday frequencies.  A number of locals thought it was Sunday frequencies on Christmas day (although there was notices at the bus stations + TL website that a Christmas Day timetable was run).  Others on boxing day thought it was a weekday timetable (even though Sunday frequencies were operating).

There's a facebook thread on the Sunshine Coast daily website with people complaining about the lack of notice, as well as the COST of the service outside of the Free Bus Holiday period.