2015-04-07 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                   7 APRIL 2015


Other secondary benefits include:
 reduced carbon emissions from diesel buses;
 improving urban air quality; and
 ambient noise reduction.
The full GHD report is available in the Councillors’ Room.
Following completion of the report, further analysis was undertaken by GHD at the request of
TransLink that identified the operation of electric buses was cheaper than running diesel buses
and therefore provided a positive business case for the strategic transfer to this form of public
transport.

Previous Council Consideration

A presentation to Councillors on the draft outcomes of the pre-feasibility report was made on 19
November 2014. A similar presentation was made to the TransLink Service Operations Board on
21 January 2015. Council provided in principle support to commencing a live trial subject to
consideration and approval by TransLink.

A letter of support from the CEO was provided to the TransLink Leadership Team (Strategic) in
March 2015. TransLink considered the GHD report at its meeting held on 1 April 2015 and
approved the commencement of a live trial in partnership with Noosa Council.

Finance & Risk

An assessment of the six month trial costs undertaken by GHD indicate that the net additional
costs of establishing and operating a live trial will be approximately $1million after taking into
account costs already incurred in operating the 627 Tewantin – Sunshine Beach route and fuel
savings.

TransLink have agreed to move forward with a live trial on the basis of a 50:50 operational cost
sharing arrangement with Council meaning that the net cost to Council will be $550,000 after
allowing for capital expenses associated with the in-route charging system.

It is recommended that the funding be met from the Public Transport Levy Reserve which
currently stands at $1.6 million.

Consultation

External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder

TransLink Division of DTMR
Sunbus
GHD

Internal Consultation

Nil.




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