9 Nov 2010: SEQ: State Government should reveal its public transport plans ..

[ozbob]

Media release 9 November 2010

SEQ: State Government should reveal its public transport plans for Caloundra South development

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport users has called on the Queensland Government to disclose detailed plans for providing public transport services to residents of the massive Caloundra South development – a future home to 50,000 people.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The 'housing affordability' credentials that the State Government touts as its reason for removing planning control for the Caloundra South development from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council are in jeopardy unless the government reveals its public transport plans for the new city of 50,000 people."

"Control of planning now moves to the Queensland Urban Land Development Authority who have emphasised the need for this master planned community to have its own public transport 'from the outset'.

"However, we have yet to see any of the transport planning.  In fact, what we have seen is the government delay duplication of the North Coast line between Beerburrum and Landsborough and put back the CAMCOS rail corridor to the Coast until after 2031. (2)  It even wants to reduce the scope of dedicated public transport corridors at the adjacent Palmview site, where another 17,000 people will live. (3) (4)

"CAMCOS was supposed to serve Caloundra South and connect Caloundra and Beerwah by 2015. (5) The new plan is for it to skirt around, and almost avoid, Caloundra South.

"With bulldozers expected to be on site at Caloundra South within 12 months, the government has revealed that blocks of land will be as small as 250 square metres, while some homes will be designed as lofts above garages. (6)

"A denser settlement pattern is conducive to efficient public transport, but the emphasis seems to be on housing people first, then retrofitting a bus service that may make longer the direct express buses between Caloundra and Landsborough railway station.  That's not good enough.

"Those in need of affordable housing are likely to be couples and families with only one car, or no car at all, as they struggle to pay off a home.  Housing at Caloundra South may be less affordable if people living there are forced to incur the cost of driving to work on the Sunshine Coast's already busy arterial roads.

"In a tight employment market on the Coast, many will head south to Brisbane to find work.  That will force more cars onto the Bruce Highway, unless the government can implement a better system of shuttle buses connecting the coast with the overworked North Coast Line and improves train frequencies.  The Beerburrum-Landsborough track duplication must be a priority.

"A situation where the principal wage-earner takes the car to work, leaving a spouse isolated at home, is a recipe for social disharmony unless good public transport functions exist 'from the outset'.   People need to understand what that means and take public transport services into consideration before they buy land or homes in big new housing estates some distance from existing services.

"The government should take the community into its confidence and disclose its transport plans for Caloundra South, Palmview and the Maroochydore Principal Activity Centre.  If there are none, or the expectation is that the status quo remains for the next two decades, then the government risks having its bona fides brought into question.

"The Sunshine Coast Council is doing its bit through the public transport levy, but it should not be expected to do the heavy lifting in the public transport arena in circumstances where the state government is aggressively pushing a population growth agenda.

"What's needed is a coherent, joint state-council transport master plan for the Sunshine Coast that takes account of the phenomenal population growth the state government wants to drive in the years ahead. The rail service on the Sunshine Coast also needs an immediate frquency boost now! (7)

"The master plan should be a fully-funded plan to drive action, not merely a statement of targetless aspiration and hope," Mr Dow said.

References:

1.  Government lobbied for planning takeover:  http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2010/11/01/bligh-concedes-stockland-was-direct-lobbyist/

2.  Sunshine Coast Daily coverage:  http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2010/09/01/maroochydore-train-station-hope-dead/

3.  Greenlink fact sheet:  http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/addfiles/documents/projects/palmview_fs01_greenlink.pdf

4.  Council fights for transport link:   http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2010/10/27/council-fights-on-for-transport-link-plan/

5.  Statement by Deputy Premier Paul Lucas, when transport minister:   http://www.railpage.com.au/f-p326191.htm

6.  'Fonzie flats' in housing stock mix:  http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2010/10/29/fonzie-flats-caloundra-development/

7.  10 Oct 2010: Sunshine coast or congestion coast? Please don't miss the train! http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4615.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast forum area --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4615.0

[colinw]

Can someone clear up for me exactly when it is the Government intends building CAMCOS?    (if ever  )

The most recent RailBOT press release says 2031 -> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4813.0

But the Sunshine Coast part of SEQIP says 2020-21 - 2025-26 -> http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/resources/plan/SEQIPP/seqipp-sunshine-coast.pdf

And Connecting SEQ 2031 is deliberately vague about all projects, just nominating a "by 2031" network.

I know CRR1 is the priority at present, but unless we have a consistent rate of project delivery from now until the mid 2020s, none of this is ever going to happen as it will just snowball into a giant un-affordable lump of projects that remain forever out of reach.

Visions are fine, but we need a delivery strategy!

[ozbob]

I suppose it as a matter of waiting for the final Connecting SEQ 2031 document, but it does seem that the dates are moveable feasts really.

I think we might see some changes before then, as the peak oil crises bite and panic ensues.

What must be started now is Beerburrum to Landsborough to at least give CAMCOS a fighting chance.  Any new road expenditure in SEQ must now be directed to sustainable transport options resilient to the looming crises.  We have enough roads now, once the rail system is actually accelerated and this must now be the absolute priority.  It might take a new political force to change the paradigm though.