2015-04-07 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                                             7 APRIL 2015


2                        JOINT TRANSLINK & NOOSA ELECTRIC BUS PRE-FEASIBILITY OUTCOMES
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                              Martin Drydale, Director Planning & Infrastructure
                                    Planning & Infrastructure Department

Index                               ECM\ Project\ TP000300,      ECM\ Subject\ Commercial Bus Routes
                                    ECM\ Subject\ Transport Levy

Attachments                         1.    Pre-feasibility Study of Electric Bus Routes in Noosa –
                                          Planning Report (copy provided in Councillors’ Room)


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Director Planning & Infrastructure to the General Committee
Meeting dated 7 April 2015 and:
A.                       Note the pre-feasibility study report prepared by consultants GHD Pty Ltd, provided at
                         Attachment 1 to the General Committee report;
B.                       Based on the findings of the report, approve the commencement of a six month live trial of
                         electric buses in Noosa during the 2015/16 financial year:
                         1.   In a 50:50 cost sharing partnership with the Department of Transport and Main
                              Roads, TransLink Division;
                         2.   Covering the existing 627 Tewantin – Sunshine bus route;
                         3.   Leasing up to 3 x Optare 10 metre electric buses based on the submitted pricing in
                              the GHD report; and
                         4.   Facilitating the installation of suitable charging infrastructure to support the live trial.
C.                       Authorise the CEO to negotiate with TransLink, Sunbus and Optare regarding the
                         implementation, monitoring and reporting of the live trial; and
D.                       Approve the funding of the live trial to a maximum of $550,000 to be met from the Public
                         Transport Levy Reserve.



REPORT
In 2014, Noosa Council and TransLink jointly appointed GHD Pty Ltd to undertake a pre-
feasibility study to examine the operational practicalities of introducing electric buses into the
existing TransLink route network.
The study scope and objectives were:
 To assess the feasibility of electric bus routes in the Noosa area in order to provide sufficient
   evidence to justify a decision to progress the project further;
 To undertake an assessment of the available technology, required infrastructure, network
   planning and passenger utilisation needed to determine the future costs and operational
   effectiveness of such a service; and
 To develop a Strategic Outline Case (SOC) in order to introduce a trial electric bus service in
   the Noosa area expected in mid to late 2015 for a continuous period of 6 months.

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