2021-02-15 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                            15 FEBRUARY 2021


REPORT
The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval for the implementation of the Go Noosa peak
period traffic management plan for the Easter holiday period from 2 – 18 April 2021.

Following on from Go Noosa Christmas 2020/21, Go Noosa Easter 2021 aligns with the 2017-2027
Transport Strategy principles and is designed to address peak period traffic whilst providing a
positive travel experience for both residents and visitors.

1.   Go Noosa Christmas 2020/21 Evaluation

In previous years the Go Noosa Christmas & Easter Peak Period Traffic Management Plans had
been presented and adopted by Council as a whole program to address peak period traffic with
evaluation undertaken following the analysis of data of both holiday periods. However, due to the
uncertainty presented by the Coronavirus pandemic during 2020 which saw the cancellation of
Easter program due to the lockdown, the Go Noosa Christmas 2020 & Easter 2021 Peak Period
Traffic Management Plans have been presented separately to allow consideration of the Covid
impacts at the time.

The full data set for Go Noosa Christmas 2020/21 has been collected however has not yet been
analysed at the time of writing this report.
However interim information indicates:
   Bus patronage on the Free Buses was not significantly reduced despite the impact of
    coronavirus including the Brisbane lockdown.
   Noosa Heads Lions Park parked a total of 4,670 cars and generated $93,400. The average
    number of vehicles per day increased from 150 to 212 due to the opening up of the grassed
    area behind the amenities block.
   Anecdotal feedback from the Noosa Ferry is that patronage was sustained over the length
    of the school holidays rather than just the peak Christmas/New Year period.
   Over 95% of free bus passengers were either very satisfied or satisfied with their bus trip.
   Approximately 66% of survey respondents would have made their trip by car if the buses
    were not free.
   60% of survey respondents indicated that based on their experience of catching the free
    buses they would be more likely to catch a bus in the future.
   Where applicable, 58% of survey respondents said the digital road-side information boards,
    showing car parking capacity in Noosa Heads & alternative travel options helped to inform
    their travel choices.
   Of the people who completed the Go Noosa survey, the majority of people who caught a free
    bus were Noosa Shire residents (58%), followed by Interstate visitors (19%), visitors from
    within Qld (16%) Sunshine Coast residents (6%) and International visitors (1%)
   The top five means by which people found out about the free buses included:
    1.     They caught a free bus last year
    2.     Street banners on power poles
    3.     Word of mouth
    4.     A sign at the bus stop
    5.     Roadside digital variable message signs




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