By Jolene Ogle
After more than 1000 submissions, extensive consultation with the community and pop-up stalls, Noosa Council has released its draft transport strategy with six proposed solutions to Noosa’s traffic woes.
In his introduction to the report that will be presented to the general committee on Monday (13 March), Mayor Tony Wellington said the need for a transport strategy was ironic.
“As with many other popular destinations, here in Noosa we are exposed to our national attachment to private motor vehicles. This becomes particularly problematic at peak holiday times when feeder roads to our key tourism precincts can become congested,” he said.
“It is somewhat ironic that Noosa’s popularity as a tourism destination is partly founded on our efforts to avoid big city symbols. Yet, for a few weeks of every year, our very popularity leads to the sort of traffic jams that are associated with big cities.”
Councillor Wellington said there was no “silver bullet” when it came to solving Noosa’s traffic congestion issues and the solution needs to be a multi-faceted approach.
“This is a highly complex issue that can only be resolved with significant foresight, a dash of courage, grasp of the complexities of behaviour change, all tempered with realistic pragmatism and financial sense.
“If that sounds like a big call, then council would certainly agree.”
The draft strategy outlines six proposed solutions to Noosa’s traffic woes that could be rolled out over the next one to two years. The strategies include introducing an Active Travel to School program for schoolkids, trialling a temporary park-and-ride service during peak holiday periods and trialling a shuttle bus that would form a loop and service key destinations such as the Marina and Hastings Street.
The draft plan also suggests investigating the introduction of a congestion fee for the Hastings Street precinct, similar to the congestion fee paid when driving into London, and investigating a priority lane on Noosa Parade for sustainable transport modes.
The most controversial proposed strategy is the introduction of paid parking in congested areas such as Hastings Street. The proposed plan states this suggestion is “subject to investigation and in keeping with the look and feel of Noosa” and would include the introduction of “car parking management controls” such as paid parking.
The proposal suggests there would be variable controls for residents and non-residents and peak and off-peak times.
According to the draft transport policy, the aim is to encourage residents to go without the use of a private car and turn towards walking, cycling and public transport as their preferred mode of transport around the shire.
The draft transport strategy report is now available on council’s website and residents are urged to have their say on the proposed traffic management tools from 20 March to 13 April. Residents can share their thoughts on the proposed strategy online through council’s Your Say portal at www.yoursay.noosa.gov.au, through email mail@noosa.qld.gov.au, phone 5329 6501 or mail submissions to PO Box 141, Tewantin, 4565.
Council will also hold Have Your Say Days throughout the shire from 8-12noon; Saturday 25 March at the Cooroy IGA; Saturday 1 April on Arcadia Walk in Noosa Junction; Sunday 2 April at the Noosa Farmers’ Market; Saturday 8 April outside the Pomona newsagency. The full draft strategy report can be viewed on council’s website, www.noosa.qld.gov.au.
