2021-11-15 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                   15 NOVEMBER 2021


   5.          It provides valuable connectivity for the community, benefits the whole community and
               will start to break the local mindset that Noosa Heads is ‘out of bounds’ due to parking
               challenges on weekends.
   Noosa Council is also planning the commencement of the Noosa Parade upgrade in early
   2022 which is expected to require over six months of construction resulting in disruption to
   traffic and car parking along Noosa Parade. The introduction of Free Weekend Buses may
   assist in alleviating impacts from the construction period.
   The existing TransLink services that operate in Noosa which is proposed Council fund during
   holidays include:
              626 – Tewantin to Sunrise Beach via Noosa Heads
              627 – Tewantin to Sunshine Beach via Noosa Heads
              628 – Parklands to Noosa Junction via Noosa Civic
              629 – Tewantin to Noosa Junction via Noosa Civic
              632 – Noosa to Cooran via Cooroy and Pomona.
   Services that operate outside of the shire are not able to be offered as a free service.
   The introduction of Free Weekend Buses in addition to the existing Christmas and Easter Free
   Holiday Buses will result in approximately 150 days of a calendar year being free to the public.
   This initiative will be viewed not only by Noosa but by other towns and countries as a test case
   for free public transport.
   The evaluation of the new initiative will be in line with the existing evaluation carried out for the
   Free Holiday Buses and reported to Council. The timing of the evaluation will be ahead of the
   completion of the trial period to allow adequate time to continue with the initiative.
   Previous Council Consideration
   Nil.
   Finance
   The below table identifies estimated costs for operating the trial in the respective financial
   years.

       Item                                         2021-2022            2022-2023
       Free Weekend Bus – TransLink cost            $66,000              $180,000
       Marketing                                    $20,000              $20,000
       Total                                        $86,000              $200,000

   Currently there is $978,000 held in reserve for the Sustainable Transport Levy. It is proposed
   that the 2021/2022 current year cost of $86,000 be funded from reserve. For the 2022/2023
   financial year, it is proposed that the pricing structure and program priorities for the levy be
   reviewed as a part of the 2022/2023 budget process to ensure levy pricing meets the
   requirements of all endorsed initiatives and trials, including this proposed free weekend bus
   trial.
   Risks & Opportunities
   TransLink have provided estimated costs for the trial however are to yet formally approve the
   proposal which is an outstanding risk being mitigated through consultation.
   The risk of not implementing the Free Weekend Bus trial is the loss of an opportunity to assist
   business and extend what is already a successful initiative during the peak holidays.
   The year round incentivisation of public transport will accelerate transport strategy objectives.



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