2014-06-17 Infrastructure and Services Committee Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   17 JUNE 2014




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INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                          17 JUNE 2014

  STRATEGIC POLICY — PUBLIC TRANSPORT LEVY

  POLICY SCOPE

  This policy: -
  e   Applies to all existing and future initiatives that are funded with revenue from the Public Transport
      Levy;
  e   Applies to all councillors, council staff, contractors and others that are associated with any existing or
      future public transport levy initiatives;
  «   Compliments council's vision for the Sunshine Coast to become Australia’s most sustainable region;
      and
  e   Assists in leveraging investment in projects to improve public transport infrastructure and services
      that would otherwise need to be deferred and to influence State Government funding priorities.

  POLICY STATEMENT

  Sunshine Coast Council recognises the importance of public transport in creating a sustainable region,
  and is committed to the improvement of public transport. This commitment will assist in ensuring that the
  Sunshine Coast is Australia’s most sustainable region.
  Currently, responsibility for providing public transport capability (infrastructure and services) for Sunshine
  Coast residents, businesses and visitors is predominantly with the State Government, with local
  government providing ancillary support.  The State Government, through TransLink, co-ordinate and
  deliver public transport systems throughout Southeast Queensland outlined in their Strategic Plans.
  Some opportunities may also arise through the Commonwealth Government.            This suggests that
  effective strategies and actions, aimed at changing community travel choices and behaviours, resulting
  in a more sustainable transport system, need to be developed and applied in partnership with the State
  Government.

  To that end, Sunshine Coast Regional Council will need to consider directing resources into activities
  that have not previously been within the realm of traditional local government, thereby building stronger
  partnerships with the State through :-
  e   Policy development;
  e   Improved advocacy capacity;
  e   Delivering catalyst and demonstration projects; and
  e   Directing ‘seed funding’ to attract improved and earlier public transport investment by the State.

  In addition, resources and actions can also be directed to purely local government outcomes.
  Much can be achieved through effective land use planning and behavioural change programs to facilitate
  successful public transport solutions, but these need to be complemented with well directed funding to
  improve public transport so there are increasingly more attractive options.
  Examples of desired aims are:
  e Providing improvements to public transport infrastructure, facilities and services, linking to public
      transport gains. These improvements would otherwise not receive funding in a timely manner,
  e _ Attracting bring-forward funding by TransLink and Queensland Transport Passenger Services for
      more bus services, particularly for new or extended routes and weekend services, ensuring that
      residential communities in the hinterland or coast receive at least a basic seven days a week service;

  Sunshine Coast Regional Council                                                      Page 2 of 6

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