2014-02-25 Infrastructure & Services Committee Meeting Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                           25 FEBRUARY 2014


The Lake Macdonald to Cooroy Flexilink trial commenced on 2 April 2013. The route map and
timetable can be found in Attachment 1.

PREVIOUS COUNCIL CONSIDERATION

A briefing note was provided to former Transfer Manager - Peter Franks in November 2013,
which was considered by the Councillors-elect on 28 November 2013, where it was agreed to
further extend the trial service to 31 March 2014.

REPORT

1.   History of the service

Members of the Lake Macdonald and Forest Acres communities have been requesting Council to
provide a Flexilink service in this area since 2007.

Following the cessation of the Pomona to Cooroy Flexilink trial in June 2011, investigations into
the viability of a service between Lake Macdonald and Cooroy were undertaken.

Community consultation was undertaken in January / February 2012 seeking feedback on the
proposed service. 775 properties in the Lake Macdonald / Cooroy area were sent personally
addressed information regarding a Lake Macdonald Flexilink proposal, together with a feedback
form. Information and an online form were also available on Council’s website. 50 survey
responses were received and 44 (88%) of those responses were in favour of the proposal and
indicated that they would use the service.

As a result of this community consultation, and the favourable feedback, the service was
implemented on a trial basis on 2 April 2013, to test demand. The service commenced for an
initial period of three months, with subsequent extensions to 31 August 2013 and 31 December
2013.

A further extension to 31 March 2014 was then granted by the Noosa Transfer Committee on 28
November 2013.

The service currently offers three return trips per day, Monday to Saturday, which is consistent
with all other Flexilink Trial Services on the Sunshine Coast.

2.   Marketing

The service, as well as the subsequent extensions, have been promoted extensively in the Lake
Macdonald region, providing: coloured brochure distribution (including personalised mail-out to all
residents along the route), newspaper advertising, the Forest Star Newsletter, Council spotlight
columns, Council websites, stakeholder emails, library display and media screen, e-news,
Facebook etc.

3.   Passenger numbers

Passenger data for the service is provided on a monthly basis by Suncoast Cabs. Data received
includes, dates, times, passenger names, origin, destination, fare received and service cost.

Based on responses to community consultation, analysis suggested that, at a maximum, 121
return trips per week may be utilised in a ‘best case’ scenario. However, a target of 48 return
trips per week was seen as an indication of a successful outcome for the trial.




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