Dodgy excuses don't wash over bus hub MP claims

THE biggest bus hub on the Sunshine Coast was gridlocked due to the State Government's haphazard timetabling for the upgrade to fix its current safety problems.

Member for Maroochydore Fiona Simpson said the delays were adding cost to the process and delaying improvements to the Sunshine Coast public transport network and safety.

"It is time for the Transport Minister to come clean and explain where the starting date on the works had gone to," Ms Simpson said.

"Get on with it. It's a bus station, not brain surgery! Originally the work was due to be finished by the end of this year. All the pretty pictures and glossy PR blurb went out 14 months ago with a promise to have the design done by mid to late 2010. The Government moved tenants from affected buildings and now is losing that rent," Ms Simpson said.

"A few months ago they claimed they had a technical hitch and would be getting under way at the end of this year. Now they're trying to claim they have to do more consultation on the design? But they've emptied out tenants! Do they have a clue what they're doing? That's not value for money and meanwhile the existing station is dangerous and is limiting the number of buses through the centre."

Ms Simpson said the Government couldn't run a chook raffle and was making hard work of fairly simple projects which were of significant benefit to the local community.

"I see this Government mismanagement happening not only on the Sunshine Coast but right throughout Queensland. It's adding hugely to the cost of people's fees and charges and reducing the services they're receiving."

The current bus station requires buses to back out partially in order to exit the bus station.

Photo supplied - Fiona Simpson at the site of proposed new bus station