Investigations are underway to enhance the Sunshine Coast’s bus network.
The state government is working to improve public transport in the rapidly growing region, which will host events of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This includes a multibillion-dollar rail and metro bus project from Beerwah to Sunshine Coast Airport at Marcoola, dubbed The Wave.
Amid the hype surrounding its announcement in March and a briefing with the construction industry last week, officials also revealed that changes would be made to bus services around the region.
The 2032 Delivery Plan stated that “high-frequency bus network improvements” would include “service improvements to cater for additional demand, including increasing service frequency, reliability and capacity”.
Details are limited but there could be new routes and more buses, particularly between coastal and inland communities.
A Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesperson provided some information.
“Improvements to the public transport network, including east-west bus connections, continue to be planned and will be staged as part of delivering The Wave,” they said.
“Providing new connections and increasing bus frequency, along with expanding the hours they operate, is a key initiative to make public transport easy and accessible.
“Investigations for The Wave and improvements to key public transport corridors are ongoing. Updates will be provided to the community when they are available.”
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said buses from around the region would link with The Wave, which would have a major transit hub at Birtinya and several other new stations.
“Coastal communities and hinterland communities will be better connected,” he said.
“The Wave will be the spine and then off the spine we’ll have the high-frequency bus network across our road network on the Coast.”
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At least one inland community group has welcomed the proposal for improved east-west connections.
Yandina and District Community Association president Marie Reeve said it could make a significant difference.
“Yandina and district is not well served by public transport,” she said. “We are a very car-dependent community because of this.
“Any improvement to the frequency of public transport and better east-west connections, linking Yandina to the coast, would be of great benefit to residents, especially the young and the elderly who do not drive.”
She said it took locals too long to travel, via public transport, to other towns on the Sunshine Coast.
“There is no direct east-west bus connection such as Yandina to Coolum or Yandina to Bli Bli,” she said.
“Getting to Coolum, a 20-minute drive away, takes more than two hours by bus.
“The bus takes you to Noosa (or Maroochydore) where you must change buses for Coolum.”
Translink’s travel planner confirms that trip can take more than two hours, depending on the time of day.
“Young people without transport and some people working in the industrial estates at Yandina and Coolum are dependent on others to get to and from work,” Ms Reeve said.
“It is also a tedious journey involving bus changes and long wait times for Yandina locals to access Maroochydore, the Sunshine Coast University Hospital or the University of the Sunshine Coast.
“There is also no efficient public transport link to the Sunshine Coast Airport. It takes either one-and-a-half to three hours, depending on whether you go via Nambour or Noosa.
“Unless there are better east-west public transport links, The Wave won’t benefit hinterland residents.”
She said consideration must also be given to spectators who plan to attend the Olympic mountain biking event off Yandina-Bli Bli Road.
TMR stated via its website that it was “looking to introduce new bus routes, additional trips and longer operating hours to continue to improve connections between stations, key destinations and areas across the Sunshine Coast”.
The network would “connect the community to stations and stops for the North Coast Line and The Wave” and it would provide “convenient connections to major centres and popular destinations, not limited to the University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast University Hopsital, Nambour, Landsborough and the hinterland, Sunshine Coast Airport and north to Yandina, Cooroy, Coolum and Noosa”.
A community consultation period that ended in late 2023 revealed locals’ wants and needs.
“Buses on the Coast only get people to the city centre during peak hour. We need more connecting routes so it is a viable alternative to driving,” one person said.
“Electronic information boards at bus stops with up-to-date info on arrival times and delays,” another called for.
“Longer operating hours and additional trips,” one added.
