Article: Commuter line vital

[Fares_Fair]

Maroochy Journal (online)
23 May 2011 @ 02:12pm
by Sherine Conyers

Commuter line vital
go to ----> http://maroochy-journal.whereilive.com.au/news/story/commuter-line-vital/

SO what's wrong with transport on the Sunshine Coast?

Dr Matt Burke from the Urban Research Program at Griffith University said the big problem was the ratio of housing to jobs, which sends commuters to the city.

"The idea that white-collar workers have to travel all the way to Brisbane every day is really a problem and we need to overcome it,'' he said.

"There's a jobs/housing imbalance. We can pour money into transport infrastructure to try and address that problem but the land-use mix of getting a knowledge economy and white-collar jobs in the Sunshine Coast is a better fix.

"We need to turn that corridor from being solely a commuter line down to Brisbane, which is effectively its main purpose."

Division nine councillor Vivien Griffin, who holds the transport portfolio, said council's plan was to look at rapid transit using cash from the transport levy.

"What we have put in the budget this year is to examine all the options for rapid transit and that's particularly for what is the old CAMCOS route from Beerwah to Maroochydore, that's traditionally been for heavy rail. Light rail or bus rapid transit may very well be needed there."

Cr Griffin said the Coast needed a transport network to serve residents and key destinations such as the Maroochydore principal activity centre.

"The other key link in that will be Kawana, particularly with the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, which will be a major employer, plus have major visitors, so we need to plan ahead for the key workers."

Cr Griffin said the $80,000 to be spent on the study was important for the future of the Coast.

Dr Burke said there was no doubt the projects needed to happen, and praised the council for its work towards implementing a better bus network.

"I think both these projects need to happen CAMCOS and the rail upgrade north,'' he said. ``Caboolture to Landsborough has been pretty much resolved.

"The northern section certainly needs work but this isn't either/or, it's a question of timing and when we can afford it."

[longboi]

Hmmm sounds very familiar. Oh yes, I've been saying this all along 

[Fares_Fair]

Hello nikko,

Which part ?

`Caboolture to Landsborough has been pretty much resolved.'

I'm not sure what the Dr meant by this, or maybe he doesn't realise that it currently ends at Beerburrum, or it may possibly just be an error.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.