2017-06-06 - S&O Agenda Attachment 1 to Item 1 - Noosa Transport Strategy 2017-2027

Community and Stakeholder Feedback
Noosa Council engaged with consultants, key stakeholders and the community to understand
both the transport challenges in Noosa as well as the possible solutions. Council has welcomed the
hundreds of ideas and suggestions on addressing Noosa’s traffic and transport issues.

The Noosa community and key stakeholders were very active through the Your Say Noosa website,
writing letters, sending emails and talking to Councillors and staff. At last count, Council received over
1,200 comments during the consultation process.

Residents, employees and visitors alike are becoming increasingly frustrated with traffic congestion
and parking difficulties in Noosa’s hotspots during peak holiday periods, on weekends and also
during major events. In 2016, approximately 58% of visitors to Noosa were day-trip visitors with the
vast majority arriving by car.

Population growth south of Noosa Shire is expected to increase by 30% over the next 10 years,
thereby increasing the pressure on Noosa’s road network even further. For visitors who arrive by car,
the message could be “give your car a holiday while you relax in Noosa”.

Congestion in key hotspots cannot be addressed in isolation. Rather, any changes to car parking or
road configurations needs to address the impact on surrounding areas. In order to maintain the laid-
back Noosa lifestyle, it is important to resist the pressure to increase capacity for more cars and more
car parking.

While congestion and car parking may be an issue for coastal areas, lack of public transport services
and long distances between town centres is a concern for some hinterland residents. Hinterland
residents are particularly car dependent. Dispersed populations often make public transport unviable.




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