The forgotten passengers

NOOSA councillor Ingrid Jackson is not happy about a lack of public transport out of Noosa, saying local residents had been “forgotten”.
In planning bus services to the new Sunshine Coast University Hospital, due to open next year, Cr Jackson said the Queensland Government had forgotten the transport needs of people in the Noosa Shire.
“In planning variations to its bus routes, the government has neglected to consider that people of Noosa Shire will find it very difficult to access Kawana by public transport,” Cr Jackson said.
“It will be particularly difficult for patients, their families and for our increasingly elderly population.”
Cr Jackson said she had contacted TransLink’s stakeholder engagement advisor Rudy Bell, who told her that Noosa people who wished to access the hospital by bus would need to connect to services at Maroochydore station.
“Taking the 620 from Noosa Junction to Maroochydore takes about one hour,” Cr Jackson said.
“The 622 takes almost one and a half hours.
“Then patients and their families will need to transfer to another bus to take them to the hospital.
“This is a real imposition on TransLink’s Noosa passengers.
“The new hospital in Kawana is an excellent regional initiative which will provide specialised medical services currently only available in Brisbane,” Cr Jackson said.
“But there must be a better connection between the hospital and the Noosa Shire just as there will be with Maroochydore, Mooloolaba and Caloundra and other southern Sunshine Coast townships.”
“I asked Rudy Bell to provide an information session in Noosa Shire, which TransLink is offering in those other areas, but he told me that these meetings will be limited to areas around the routes directly impacted by the proposed changes.”
Cr Jackson said Noosa residents could complete a TransLink online survey at haveyoursay.translink.com.au.
“I will be pursuing this matter further with the State Government and within council, but also encourage Noosa Shire residents to tell TransLink what they think,” she said.