2016-10-11 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

THEME: TRANSPORT AND MOVEMENT
Where are we now                                         which is subject to traffic congestion most
                                                         weekends, for the balance of the year traffic
                                                                                                                  Public transport
                                                         congestion is generally limited and most frequently      TransLink provides bus services within Noosa
Transport around Noosa Shire is primarily by private                                                              Shire including to some of the hinterland towns and
                                                         coincides with school drop off and pick up.




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vehicle, supplemented by public transport, cycling                                                                villages. Some areas are serviced relatively well,
and walking. Noosa’s dispersed settlement pattern                                                                 others hardly serviced at all. Buses provide access




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and low density forms of housing has fostered a          Road network                                             to external destinations such as Maroochydore and
high dependence on private cars despite various                                                                   Nambour, to the Sunshine Coast airport and to the
                                                         The road network is largely shaped by the natural




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efforts to encourage other forms of active and public                                                             railway station at Cooroy, however trips typically
                                                         landscape particularly by waterways in the urban
transport. For the last decade Noosa has been                                                                     take at least twice as long as they would by car.
                                                         area. There has always been a desire to maintain




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struggling with the impact of ever increasing private                                                             Long distance intercity coach services are provided
                                                         the ‘unique’ character of Noosa and a ‘low key’
car usage and the potential demand it creates for                                                                 and daily passenger trains link Cooroy, Pomona
                                                         transport system with free flowing traffic, unlike the




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more and wider roads, traffic lights and increased                                                                and Cooran with Gympie and centres to the south,
                                                         stop-go conditions associated with large cities. As a
numbers of car parks. However, it is not easy to                                                                  including Brisbane. School buses operate extensively
                                                         consequence, Noosa’s road network is characterised
get people out of their cars and a number of traffic                                                              throughout Noosa servicing primary and secondary
and transport studies have been undertaken over          by roundabouts with only a few set of traffic lights
                                                                                                                  schools.
the years in an effort to find solutions to more         associated with schools. While traffic flows freely
                                                         with roundabouts, there are mixed results for            Noosa Ferry Cruise operates a 35 minute trip
sustainable transport and movement in Noosa.
                                                         pedestrian and cycle movements and safety.               between Tewantin and Noosa Heads with five
                                                                                                                  intermediate stops aimed primarily at the tourist
Travel demand                                                                                                     market rather than everyday commuting.
                                                         Pedestrian and cycle network
Travel demand in Noosa is generated by local                                                                      Council has initiated various transport options
residents and workers as well as visitors. Whilst        Noosa has a good network of urban pathways but           including:
many visitors fly into the Sunshine Coast and then       there are still gaps in the network. Newer pathways
                                                                                                                      Council cabs for eligible residents;
take transfers, walk and use the ferry, there is         cater for a wide range of users while some older
still a high level of private car use by visitors. Day   paths are not successfully catering for everybody.          On demand Flexilink service between Boreen
                                                                                                                    	
trippers primarily come by car. In holiday seasons,      There are on-road cycle lanes on most of the major          Point and Tewantin;
on long weekends and during big events, traffic in       routes.                                                     Free Christmas and Easter holiday bus travel on
                                                                                                                    	
Noosa peaks and this has a perceived impact on           While the hinterland offers recreational trails for         selected route.
the amenity of the environment and ultimately on         bushwalkers, mountain bikers and horse riders,           Despite the above, patronage levels are low because
lifestyle.                                               there are few dedicated routes for commuting             for many the standard of service does not meet their
With the exception of the Hastings Street precinct       cyclists.                                                expectations.

                                                                                                                                               Discussion Paper 25