Further to an announcement regarding investment in the Southern Sunshine Coast public transport network and bus service increases and extensions, we enquired with Transport & Main Roads (TMR) as to whether a similar strategy was being considered for the northern end of the coast.  TMR provided the following information:

  • The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) undertakes public transport planning for short-term operational improvements and for longer-term strategic change.
  • Service planning activities are undertaken to assist network planners in the development of the three-five year rolling program of network improvements. The service planning focusses on opportunities to expand, improve, or optimise the existing network to meet incremental changes in community travel needs.
  • Strategic passenger transport planning strategies are developed for areas where there will likely be significant need for structural change to the network and its supporting infrastructure. This could be due to rapid population and/or employment growth (expansion or consolidation), new infrastructure, or structural shifts in travel demand due to economic or social change.
  • The need for development of longer-term public transport strategies is generally identified through regional land use and transport planning, network performance scanning and infrastructure project integration assessments.
  • The northern Sunshine Coast, between the Maroochy River and Noosa River, is not expected to accommodate the very high levels of population, employment, and other transformational land use changes that we will see in the southern Sunshine Coast over the next 20 years. The northern Sunshine Coast is not likely to require substantial structural change to the current network or its infrastructure.
  • The northern Sunshine Coast is likely to require incremental service expansion, improvements, and targeted infrastructure upgrades. TMR continually reviews network performance and customer feedback, and engages with local governments, to identify, investigate and undertake such improvements and upgrades.

For more information on public transport visit the Translink website or call 13 12 30.