By JOLENE OGLE
THE planned trial of electric buses in Noosa has come to a grinding halt as Noosa Council cancels the bus manufacturer’s contract.
In a statement to the media, Noosa Council announced it is looking for a new contractor to power the trial after it was advised the manufacturer couldn’t deliver the buses by the agreed deadline.
Mayor Noel Playford said the delays were unfortunate.
“I am disappointed the trial won’t begin during my time in council, but I am confident we’ll see electric buses on Noosa’s roads next year, given council’s strong support for the trial and keen interest from a number of manufacturers,“ Cr Playford said.
Council’s planning and infrastructure director Martin Drydale said technical issues with the bus air-conditioning systems were to blame for the hold-up; as such council now planned to launch the trial at the end of next year.
Mr Drydale said the decision to postpone the trial would not add to the cost, but might offer cost-saving opportunities, thanks to newer technology.
“Postponing the trial will allow council to consider newer battery technology and additional suppliers previously not available when planning for the trial first began, which could deliver a better outcome,” he said.
Mr Drydale said the delay might also allow council to source buses from an Australian supplier.
A pre-feasibility study found electric buses to be a cheaper public transport option compared to diesel buses when deployed on short-haul routes.
“They can be recharged with renewable energy and given that they offer reduced emissions, they represent a cleaner, greener alternative to diesel,“ Mr Drydale said.
The original trial was expected to include 10-metre, 29-seater buses that would replace the current diesel buses on route 627, but Mr Drydale was unable to confirm the details of the postponed trial.
“Specific details such as the size and seating capacity of the buses will be finalised as part of the contract negotiations,” he said.
Deploying electric buses stands to be a first for Queensland, offering Noosa a unique and marketable public transport option.
“Council looks forward to trialling electric buses on Noosa’s network next year,“ Mr Drydale said.
