Movement And Connection Action Plan 2025–2027

Brian Stockwell0:00

So welcome to the July General Committee Meeting. We note that all councillors in attendance with Councillor Wilson attending via Microsoft Teams electronically. We acknowledge. The Kabi Kabi people whose land we meet on and we do so this week in the middle of NAIDOC week which celebrates its 50th anniversary theme of 50 years of deadly and this is according to their page marker not just of times past but of momentum still building. It's about the next 50 years the are growing up proud and it's proof and what's been achieved is proof of what the Indigenous people this country can do when they build culture and lead with community coming first so we move on then to item on the agenda having no presentations nor deputations and that first item in General Committee reports is about the movement and connection action plan 2025 2027:25, 20:27 so if I can invite the staff can we do the Minutes? Did I miss one yeah getting

Our classes I just wish to revise um Dr Stephanie belongs taken ill so I'll be presenting the report on her basis but uh knowing that she is the author of the report with the um support of our transport officer Daniel berg so um I can't pretend to be as an expert as Stephanie. An expert as Stephanie so but I do my best um so um the Noosa Transport Strategy originally established in 2017-2027 is approaching the strategic horizon the strategy established a long-term transport vision of an efficient free-flowing and independent transport system that enhances resident visitor experiences and supports sustainable transport environment outcomes since adoption of we've delivered a remarkable suite of transport initiatives across public transport active transport parking management traffic data and traffic safety and visitor demand management many of these initiatives such as the free bus loops and satellite parking and our business as usual which weren't envisaged back in 2017 so what's presented in this report is basically an action plan for the basically an action plan for the remaining two years of the Transport Strategy and remaining two years of the Transport Strategy and intended to maintain delivery momentum intended to maintain delivery momentum respond to current community priorities respond to current community priorities and progress selective initiatives for and progress selective initiatives for investigations the plan needs to be investigations the plan needs to be viewed in conjunction with our work across other initiatives such as Go Noosa: Walking and Cycling Strategy as well as all the operational work that's undertaken by the team which is outlined in the report. I just note that the plan does not constitute approve of any capital works and obviously any capital delivery be subject to Council separate budget the report includes a transport traffic program at a glance, including 15 strategy initiatives delivered and embedded, 400 customer requests assessed annually, three major strategic studies completed or progressing, two advisory committees instated, and four key safety programs underway. So I'm looking for a Councillor to endorse the report and the movement and connection action plan for the remaining two years. Thank you Councillors.

It's fair to say that we would like to do a review on that, Councillor Wilson, because the, you know, the cost per passenger is quite high. The preliminary reviews indicate the passengers that we actually do capture aren't captured by other social security bus services and these communities are fairly reliant on it. It's really getting back to staff capacity. We've got limited staff with a huge operational load. We would like to do that review but I don't know whether we've got capacity to do that in 26.26, 27 and I note that the report focuses that we can do a review to see where you can expand it to king in 27-28. So it's proposed to be integrated into that second year of the movement and connection action plan.

So firstly, probably the only nuance of what's new is more the focus on e-bikes. So this plan is about a wrap up of the existing strategy from 2017 to 2027 and focusing our available resources and efforts on wrapping the existing strategy. So it's not about a new program. We forecast that for us to embrace on a new direction, we would need to start preparing a new Transport Strategy because this Transport Strategy 10 years old. Say that the transport space is very challenging. And if you note that, you know, three years ago, we actually had a vacancy in the transport coordinator role for over 12 months. So us trying to Resolve lead the space and then staff it is incredibly challenging against the competition in South East Queensland. And we've regularly advised Council of that. So what moving forward, that's why we're trying to seek adoption of the movement connection action plan is about what we can do with what we've got with confidence and focus our available resources with those items listed in the table.

Frank Wilkie15:52

The movement and connection action plan is a practical forward-thinking Roadmap that builds on the significant achievements of the Noosa Transport Strategy and positions our community for an even more connected future. This plan recognises that great communities are built around choice, accessibility, safety and connection. It celebrates the success of initiatives already embedded in our community, from Go Noosa holiday transport services and community transport programs, to upgraded accessible bus about 140 of them if I read correctly, expanded pathway networks and active school travel initiatives. These achievements demonstrate our commitment to delivering real outcomes for residents and visitors alike. What makes this plan impressive is its focus on smart, evidence based decision making. Rather than rushing into costly infrastructure projects, it invests in the investigations, planning and community engagement needed to ensure future decisions are strategic, informed and financially responsive. Responsible. The priorities identified are exactly the right ones: safer routes to school, expanded walking and cycling opportunities, improved End of Trip Facilities, corridor investigations, behaviour change programs and a proactive approach to emerging e-mobility challenges. That will help create a more sustainable, healthy and accessible Noosa. Importantly, the plan looks beyond the immediate horizon. By commencing preparation for the next Noosa Transport Strategy, we're ensuring that future generations inherit a transport network that meets the changing community needs and embraces new opportunities. It's a balanced and achievable plan. It strengthens safety, supports active lifestyles, reduces congestion pressures, although we've acknowledged the demand on this network is so high we may never fully get there, improves accessibility and prepares us for the future while remaining grounded in practical delivery. I'd like to thank the staff for working on this program under very difficult circumstances. It's an enormous body of work and we're grateful too.

Yeah um after the check but I also note that in the you know we do have limited resources and we've already decided on a movement and action plan and what staff we use for what purposes you know so this will you know with our existing staff will diminish their capacity to deliver other programs in our overall movement and connection action plan and that going it has you know consequences so and I just want to give you a hint or from my you know previous experience that it is feasible to change a space like that on a daily basis but it is at cost

Karen Finzel25:46

Yes, thank you. It was good to get the report. I'm passionate about connectivity, especially in our hinterland communities where there's big gaps between our villages, how we get young people moving so that we can, you know, reduce social isolation and those impacts on our young people. I'd like to thank the staff. For bringing this report because I think the separation from the budget thing, economically investing in active transport infrastructure improves access to local businesses, tourism destinations and. Activity centres. As we all know well-connected pathways encourage people to spend more time in our villages supporting local commerce and enhancing the visitor experience while delivering long-term value to the community. Importantly these. Priorities align strongly with feedback we received through council's liveability and placemaking work where residents consistently identified safer, greener and better connected communities as a key aspiration for noosa's future. I also believe there is significant value, as I mentioned before, in separating the long-term targets of the movement in place action plan from the annual budget process. Doing so allows Council maintain a clear strategic direction, while retaining flexibility to pursue projects as funding opportunities, partnerships and grants become available. This approach enables us to focus on evidence-based decision making, rather than cycles. We've heard around the table today that everyone is keen to look at how we move forward and how we really seriously look at our budget and how we can actively provide provision to move forward on these long-term strategies and things that the community has told A staged delivery model also creates valuable opportunities for data collection by monitoring pathway usage, travel behaviour, safety movements, economic activity, community education and participation. Council can build a stronger evidence base to guide future investment decisions. This information of course can help refine priorities, demonstrate outcomes, support external funding applications and ensure that future projects deliver the greatest possible benefit to our community. Ultimately the movement in place action plan is not simply about infrastructure. It's about creating healthier communities, protecting our environment, strengthening local economies, and delivering the connected, liveable, and people-focused Noosa that our community has consistently told us it wants for the future. So I thank the staff and I thank the community and my co-Councillors around the table that we feel like we've got a collective vision forward to really drill down in the rest of this term too. To strategic look at how we can deliver the community expectations. Thank you.