THE Sunshine Coast’s population is booming but they made 120,000 fewer bus trips than five years ago showing the transport system is failing.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Member for Maroochydore Fiona Simpson said that the State Labor Government had dropped the ball on public transport by failing to ensure the services met public need.
“About 8,000 people are moving to the Sunshine Coast every year but fewer people are using buses than five years ago showing that our public transport system is failing,” Ms Simpson said.
“The Sunshine Coast needs a proper integrated transport system that allows people to travel where they need to go, when they need to go there.
“People need to be consulted about the services that they need. It is also about ensuring that buses connect more effectively with train services and that there actually are more train services.
“It should not be rocket science, but when we see that the population is up yet the number of bus trips are down on the figures from five years ago it shows that something is broken and it needs to be fixed.
“More needs to be done to provide better bus services to make bus use a viable alternative to taking the car.”
Ms Simpson called on the government to get serious about public transport.
“We need to more effectively use the infrastructure that we have, as well build infrastructure that will improve connections,” Ms Simpson said.
“The Sunshine Coast needs a proper integrated transport system that overcomes current problems to ensure that there are better and seamless connections, so that more people will choose to take buses and trains.
“We should not have a situation where up to 8,000 people move to the Sunshine Coast each year, yet 120,000 fewer bus trips are being made compared to five years ago. That is a complete debacle!
“As a first world country, there should be a better answer.
“Not only on the Sunshine Coast but across the broader South-East Queensland region, we should have a proper integrated system that connects people to their work, their shops, their services and their families, so that people who are caught on congested roads have some true relief.”
