$950,000 boost for Sunshine Coast buses

Two new bus services will begin in just over a week in a $947,000-a-year boost to SunshineCoast public transport.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Paul Lucas said the major upgrade would keep pace with booming demand for public transport services in the region.

“Improving public transport services for people on the SunshineCoast is one of the State Government's top priorities,” Mr Lucas said.

“These new routes complement service improvements introduced in October and will keep pace with demand while the government builds the new bus priority system and, in the longer term, the fast railway link.”

From Monday, November 27, new Sunbus routes 619 and 629 will boost existing services for commuters, tourists and shoppers.

Mr Lucas said the new services were:

• Route 619 - provides convenient access to the SunshineCoastPrivateHospital and areas of Mooloolaba not currently serviced, and supplements existing services between Kawana and Maroochydore. Buses will operate hourly in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions, creating a combined 30 minute frequency, Monday to Friday from 7am to 7pm.
• Route 629 – improves the frequency and coverage of the local Noosa bus network and provides more services through Noosa Civic. The combined route 628/629 services will provide half hourly frequency through Noosa Civic on Monday to Friday, and hourly frequency on weekends.

In October, TransLink implemented upgrades to bus routes 602 between Caloundra, Nambour, Maroochydore and Bli Bli; and 628 between Parklands, NoosaNational Park and Noosa Civic.

The two new routes, combined with the 602 and 628 improvements introduced in October, make it even easier to catch local buses feeding into the main bus corridors, especially in Maroochydore and Noosa.

“The increased services being provided through TransLink are strongly supported by SunshineCoast residents and visitors,” Mr Lucas said.

“Patronage figures from July 1, 2005, to September this year show that passenger journeys have increased by 9.7%, or 125,328 extra trips, over the previous period.”

“TransLink is working closely with local councils, bus operators and the community on the SunshineCoast to ensure we deliver a public transport system that meets the region's future needs,” he said.

In the past 12 months alone, 10 additional 55-seat buses have been added to the Sunbus fleet, to increase capacity and improve passenger comfort.

Further improvements to public transport services and infrastructure are also being delivered under the TransLink Network Plan, including:

• major improvements to passenger facilities and safety at bus interchanges, such as Maroochydore and the University of the SunshineCoast;
• specific timetables for each stop and passenger information;
• more park n' ride spaces at Beerwah, Mooloolah and Woombye train stations;
• upgrade of the bus-rail interchange, and provision of more park n' ride spaces at Landsborough train station;
• upgrade of the bus-rail interchange at Nambour station; and
• bus priority measures.

"The TransLink Network Plan includes $48.7 million over the next decade for public transport services on the SunshineCoast, adding to an existing four-year commitment of almost $159 million for new infrastructure," Mr Lucas said.

"There are also major public transport infrastructure projects underway as part of the South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program."

These include:

• the Caloundra to Maroochydore Quality Bus Corridor and bus stations;
• the rail corridor between Beerwah and Maroochydore;
• Caboolture-to-Landsborough rail upgrade; and
• Landsborough-to-Nambour rail upgrade.

For more information, visit www.translink.com.au or phone 13 12 30.

Media inquiries: Robert Hoge 3237 1942