2021-11-15 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                             15 NOVEMBER 2021


   Holiday Buses under Go Noosa branding.
   The Free Holiday Buses currently operate during the Christmas and Easter school holidays
   under the approval of TransLink where Council pays TransLink for loss of revenue on the
   existing buses that operate solely within Noosa Shire, and Council pays a TransLink approved
   operator the full cost for the additional services of the 064 Peregian to Noosa Heads route and
   the 064 Loop Bus.
   Prior to 2018 the Free Holiday Bus program operated for 10 days each year around the
   Christmas to New Years’ Day period. This initiative grew to 16 weeks each year in 2018
   following introduction of the Transport Strategy which has a number of desired outcomes
   including encouraging modal shift to sustainable transport and reducing the number of people
   choosing to drive and park in congested coastal areas. It also saw the introduction of the 065
   Loop Bus in 2020 following community and business requests for a dedicated Loop Bus in the
   visitor centred area of Noosa and Noosaville.
   After three years of operating the extended Free Holiday Bus program it has been evidenced
   through high patronage that providing free public transport does provide a significant incentive
   for residents and visitors to use public transport and has prompted the consideration of
   extending the offering to every weekend of the year.
   2.    Free Weekend Buses
   As described above, providing free buses has been shown to increase the use of public
   transport which has prompted consideration of free buses during other busy periods of the
   year. Typically Noosa is busy and parking supply is more constrained during the holidays and
   weekends.
   The extension of free buses into the weekends including long weekends is seen as the next
   step of incentivisation and would be a major change of traveling around Noosa allowing
   visitors, residents and staff to:
         create a more consistent travel behaviour and experience of using public transport; and
         offset many of the previous negative experiences when traveling into the Noosa coastal
          areas by private car during the weekends.
   Staff have been in consultation with the Hastings Street Association who are supported by the
   Noosa Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc, Cooroy Chamber of Commerce Inc, Noosa
   Junction Association and Noosaville Business Association in requesting Council implement
   the trial. The Hastings Street Association cites local tourism and the business sector have been
   under unrelenting financial pressures from the pandemic impacts.
   At a Hastings Street Association meeting attended by over 40 business members on
   Wednesday 18 August 2021, the issue of a lack of parking was voiced as the number one
   barrier to broader local engagement with the Hastings Street precinct and a barrier to attracting
   and retaining key workers.
   This transport and business stimulus initiative has both immediate and long-term benefits for
   our local community (including both residents, visitors, employees and local business)
   including but not limited to:
   1.    A permanent free weekend service would expedite habitual change for the local
         community to reduce car usage.
   2.    A permanent free weekend service would ensure those staff working in the precinct every
         weekend will avoid the need to drive, and would be able to utilise a safe and reliable
         means of transport.
   3.    A permanent free weekend service would assist Council’s on-going issues with parking
         in local residential streets (particularly during peak season when Hastings Street
         employs 2,800 people).
   4.    An initiative which resonates with our region and Council’s vision – ‘different by nature’,
         and can be used as an attractor to promote visitation and spend in the precinct; and


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