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GO NOOSA INTERIM REPORT

Director Infrastructure Services, Shaun Walsh · Infrastructure Services Department

Executive summary

The Go Noosa Holiday Program is a key initiative within the Noosa Transport Strategy 2017–2027 (the Strategy), designed to enhance the transport experience for both residents and visitors and is funded via the Sustainable Transport Levy (the Levy). The Levy is an essential resource for funding initiatives to sustainably manage congestion, alleviate pressure on the road network, and address parking challenges throughout the Noosa region. The program is funded to the amount of $900,000 largely through the Transport Levy. Despite rising costs associated with delivering the Go Noosa initiatives, the Levy has remained unchanged since 2018 and is currently in deficit. The viability of existing programs should be assessed to ensure the Levy funds are utilised effectively to continue developing the Strategy initiatives. This interim report focuses on the Free Bus program and the Council Cabs and Flexi-link services due to impending funding and operations deadlines. A fuller report concerning the whole program including comprehensive data, will be presented later this year.

Recommendation

That Council note the report by the Director Infrastructure Services to the General Committee Meeting dated 20 January 2024 regarding the Go Noosa Program and

  1. Advise Translink that Council wishes to cease the Free Weekend Bus Services and the Go Noosa Free Bus service for peak seasons in light of 50cent fares and authorise the CEO to negotiate an amended Go Noosa agreement with Translink concerning remaining Go Noosa services;
  2. Undertake a community information program jointly with Translink to advise patrons of changes to the bus service;
  3. Note that a review has commenced of the Council Cabs and Flexilink services to assess their effectiveness and return on investment in preparation for 2025-26 financial year budget; and
  4. Note the proposed traffic management changes at the corner of Noosa Drive and Hastings Street as outlined in this report.

Report

Operational Summary Free Buses under the Go Noosa program continued on weekends and peak periods over the recent Christmas and New Year period consistent with previous years. Recently State Government announced the ongoing implementation of 50-cent public transport fares across the region. In addition, the State has commenced rollout of Smart Ticketing and contactless payment, aimed to replace Go Cards. These two state wide initiatives have largely negated the need for Council funded Free Buses, as it also provides a key incentive for patrons to use public transport and assist in congestion reduction. The August 2024 Go Noosa evaluation report presented to Council's July meeting outlined the need for review of Council Cabs and Flexilink services due to low patronage and increasing costs. It is intended to commence this review for the 2025-26 budget to ensure optimal use of funds generated by Council's Transport Levy. In addition, parking changes are proposed at the corner of Noosa Drive and Hastings Street, including the relocation of the existing loading zone located, widened footpath and increased motorbike parking. These measures were trialled over the Christmas peak period to observe potential improvement to traffic delays while prioritising pedestrian safety. These changes have been favourably received by the local business community and have been seen to successfully improve pedestrian and traffic flow. These three Go Noosa program initiatives require immediate evaluation and are presented ahead of a more comprehensive report which will include a review of the full program including evaluations of: • Bus patronage • Lions Park overflow parking • Main Beach drop-off zone • Park-and-Ride services • Wayfinding signage

Free Buses in Light of the 50-Cent Public Transport Scheme The introduction of the Queensland Government's 50-cent flat rate for public transport has been confirmed by Government as ongoing and has prompted a need to reassess the Go Noosa Free Bus program, which is funded by Council through Translink as the service provider. A review has been conducted to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of continuing the Free Bus program. Key aspects include: • 50-cent flat-rate public transport scheme provides significant incentive for public transport users and negates the need for the Free Bus program. Data received from Translink shows 9.2% uplift on weekends and 22.8% on weekdays arising from the 50-cent program since its inception. • Preliminary estimates suggest potential savings may be realised if the Free Bus program is removed from Translink agreements, which is currently funded by the Transport Levy. This contracted amount is commercial in confidence but the amount is not insignificant. • Consideration needs to be given to retaining the Go Noosa Loop service (between park-and-ride areas and Hastings Street) as a free service, as it is unclear whether Translink would provide this service at the 50-cent rate. • Subject to negotiations with Translink, retention of the Go Noosa Loop service to park and ride stations may mean that Council maybe able to alter the way this service is provided, including use of smaller buses. This aspect requires further detailed consideration with Translink, the Transport Operation (Passenger Transport Act) including any use of public bus stops Following negotiations with Translink the full financial savings will be clearer. Any changes to transport arrangements will need to be fully communicated to the public and a communications program is planned to advise of altered arrangements.

Review of Council Cabs and Flex-link Services Council operates a Flexi-link service between Boreen Point and Tewantin for people with limited transport options and connects passengers with existing public transport services for onward journeys. Council Cabs provides affordable door-to-door transport service for eligible residents. A comprehensive review of the Council Cabs and Flexi-link services has commenced to evaluate its usage and cost to the Council. Key components of the review include: • Patronage and cost. • Alternative services now available by community and charity services. • Investigating existing State Government programs, such as the Community Transport Program and The Taxi Subsidy Scheme (TSS), to determine how these can support the transition. • Benchmarking other on-demand services implemented by Translink in other regional localities in Queensland • Direct engagement with existing users. • Consideration of alternatives including termination of the schemes and/ or replacement with new initiatives For the 2023-2024 financial year, the combined total Council expenditure (ex GST) for Flexi-link and Council Cabs was $58,491.44.

Parking Changes at the Corner of Noosa Drive and Hastings Street A trial over the Christmas period of the following traffic management changes were undertaken in Noosa Drive and Hastings Street to improve pedestrian and traffic flows: • Implementation of footpath widening by relocating the existing loading zone and removal of parking spaces in Noosa Drive outside Ben & Jerry's to enhance pedestrian capacity and accessibility, aligning with current pedestrian flow demands. Additionally, the removal of parallel parking near the Hastings Street roundabout once again help alleviates forward queuing, thereby improving traffic flow and reducing congestion. • Reallocated the existing parking area in Hasting Street outside Rococo's to dedicated motorcycle parking to enhance traffic flow by reducing congestion caused by vehicles attempting to parallel park at this location. This adjustment minimises disruptions to the Hastings Street and Noosa Drive roundabout by mitigating immediate forward queuing, enabling smoother traffic movements through the roundabout. These changes were favourably received by the Hastings Street Association and as a result is proposed to continue as a trial for three months in order to monitor and receive feedback during this time. In the event that ongoing feedback is positive, these changes may be rolled out permanently. Council staff recommend Councillors inspect the locality during the trial period, and a mutually convenient time will be arranged by Infrastructure Services staff.

New Sustainable Transport Initiatives It is anticipated that forecast changes will provide a significant release of financial and resource capacity to advance other new sustainable and contemporary transport initiatives that focus on emerging priorities. Opportunities are currently being assessed by staff and will be subject to future reporting and Council decision. One emerging area is electric mobility. As its meeting of 17 October 2024, Council resolved a Notice of Motion concerning e-bikes and e-scooters, including e-bike rider education as part of the Go Noosa program and referred future funding requirements to budget deliberations. E-bikes and e- scooters have the potential to be a significant new mobility means to reduce congestion in Noosa and is supported by the Noosa Transport Strategy. At the moment resources are not available to advance response strategies around this emerging transport form. If funding capacity is made available, Council resources could be made available to explore initiatives which may include: • Establishing safe infrastructure for e-mobility, such as designated lanes and parking areas. • Running safety and education campaigns. • Partnering with the State Government to advocate for the revival or expansion of rebate schemes.

Report details

Index: ECM/ Subject/ Transport Policy
ECM/ Project & Contract/ Transport Strategy / Car Parking Management
ECM/Project & Contract/ Transport Strategy / General