Article: Plan to boost bus services on hold

[Sunbus610]

Plan to boost bus services on hold
Mark Furler | 15th January 2012

A PLAN to boost bus services on the Sunshine Coast by improving intersections and traffic flow has been put back another year to save the cash-strapped Bligh Government more money.

CoastConnect is key a part of the State Government's long-term plan to encourage more people to use public transport and bicycles on the Coast to avoid congestion on our roads as the region heads to more than 500,000 people.

Central to the Department of Transport and Main Roads' plan is a busway spine from Caloundra to Maroochydore with priority bus lanes, cycle lanes, better bus stops and bus stations, including one long overdue at Maroochydore.

But Maroochydore MP Fiona Simpson said the Government had revealed on Friday that the project had been delayed by a year as part of the latest cost-cutting.

The Government will also farewell an extra 1500 public servants and delay its police academy project in a bid to cut costs, prompting police union threats about potential strikes.

Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser revealed the measures as part of his mid-financial-year budget update, which foreshadows a $1.144 billion write-down in tax and royalty revenues.

The Government will save about $506.5 million, mainly through deferring the Queensland police academy at Wacol.

The deferral of the CoastConnect bus corridor, originally due to begin in 2014, will save another $26 million in 2014-15.

Ms Simpson said the decision was very disappointing.

"I am concerned that because of their own financial mismanagement they are clawing back projects," she said.

"This is a staged project and one that is very important in overcoming bottlenecks around key intersections.''

She said the delays would not only affect bus services but also car drivers because some of the planned works would have improved overall traffic flow.

"This is what happens when they waste money.''

Ms Simpson said the bus station at Maroochydore had already been delayed by a year.

"They have wasted all this money on glossy documents and public consultation. What they say and what they do never measure up. That's the frustration.

"It's not just happening on the Sunshine Coast, it's happening all over the state.

"They are spending money on stupid projects (like the water grid pipeline) and rolling back projects which have quite a benefit.''

Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday confirmed the delay as "unfortunate".

"CoastConnect is a major project and a massive investment that we need to get right," she said in a statement.

"It's unfortunate that circumstances have meant we need to delay investment in this project by 12 months."

"But we won't be delaying public transport investment."

Ms Palaszczuk said the Government would continue its investment in new bus and train services for the Coast.

"TransLink is already delivering extra bus and train services and that investment will continue.

"Upcoming public transport infrastructure on the Sunshine Coast includes the $8.3 million Maroochydore bus station and the $3.3 million upgrade to Nambour train station.

"We recently delivered the $10 million Noosa Junction bus station, the $100,000 Cooroy train station car park upgrade delivering 40 new car parks and the $150,000 upgrade to Landsborough train station."

Sunshine Coast councillor Vivien Griffin, who holds the integrated transport systems portfolio, was not available for comment.

Link - http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2012/01/15/plans-to-boost-bus-services-go-on-hold/

NB: What a joke!! Perhaps if she (Captain Bligh) got rid of some of the un-necessary\duplicated top level executive officers across many QG agencies first she'd still have available funding for 2012.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Sunshine Coast has buses? What's next Ipswich getting buses 

[Fares_Fair]

Shame.
Delayed for a year ... to save $26m.
Cutting back Sunshine Coast services is this current State governments first move whenever it says it needs to save money, it is blatant and ongoing, both for rail and bus.
Rest assured Sunny Coast it is probably to pay for Commonwealth Games facilities, or projects of 'priority' (in the Government's rose coloured glass eyes).

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Sunbus639]

  I had heard (from a chap within council in fact) that the Sunshine Coast Council have been trying to push TRANSLink into improving the timetable/running and possibly even splitting up Sunbus' route 639 (Nambour/suburbs & Palmwoods) but I'm guessing that's likely to be put on the backburner now with the release of this news, oh great!! 

[Stillwater]

I question whether this delay will actually save $26 million.  The government is merely shuffling the dollars around, from one financial year to the next, to show is 'fiscal responsibility'.  It wants to be able to say that it is bringing Queeensland 'back onto the black' one year earlier than anticipated.  That is the political imperative.

A project delayed is a project that's going to cost more money in future, due to the effects if inflation and normal cost increases in wages, price of steel and concrete etc.  For instance, the $280m (in 2008 dollars) Beerburrum-Landsborough rail duplication is now a $470m project, according to the GHD document outlining the 'Cleveland Solution'. 

[Fares_Fair]

I question whether this delay will actually save $26 million.  The government is merely shuffling the dollars around, from one financial year to the next, to show is 'fiscal responsibility'.  It wants to be able to say that it is bringing Queeensland 'back onto the black' one year earlier than anticipated.  That is the political imperative.

A project delayed is a project that's going to cost more money in future, due to the effects if inflation and normal cost increases in wages, price of steel and concrete etc.  For instance, the $280m (in 2008 dollars) Beerburrum-Landsborough rail duplication is now a $470m project, according to the GHD document outlining the 'Cleveland Solution'.  

Wow, that is a masive leap in cost, it previously jumped up in around 8% per annum increases.
It was originally costed at $240m in 2006 when announced by Hon. Paul Lucas.
Now cost has virtually doubled in 5 years !!!

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Arnz]

Sunshine Coast has buses? What's next Ipswich getting buses  

At least the vast majority of milk (local) runs in Ipswich and Sunshine Coast are more frequent than Route 314   .  

And the trunk network in both regions (routes/corridors going every 15 or better) is about the same size (if not larger) than Moreton Bay and Eastern.   Not to mention the 600 and 620s operate into NightLink hours on Friday and Saturday until 3am the next morning.  .

[HappyTrainGuy]

Sunshine Coast has buses? What's next Ipswich getting buses  

At least the vast majority of milk (local) runs in Ipswich and Sunshine Coast are more frequent than Route 314   .  

pffttt...... yeah right!



Ohhhhhh crap! That can't be right 

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Holiday traffic revives parking woes

[#Metro]

Couriermail Quest --> Holiday traffic revives parking woes

I can't see a single parking meter in that picture.
If you give stuff away for free, demand will usually see it used up.... econ 101