There are fears one of Queensland's biggest cities may end up without a train or fast bus network that can carry athletes and spectators to Olympic and Paralympic venues.
The Sunshine Coast will host Olympic and Paralympic events in 2032, but time is running out to build major bus and rail projects.
But despite being home to more than 400,000 people, the only existing rail lines are away from major centres and its bus network struggles to attract passengers.Sunshine Coast Council began planning a light rail line in 2012 — nine years before the Games were announced for Brisbane — but the project has since been scrapped in favour of a 25-metre-long rapid bus service.
Now, one of its key officers is warning that even with almost eight years to go, time may have run out.James Coutts leads the council's urban growth projects team, and has previously worked in the Department of State Development. He said that would still be more reliable, comfortable and more popular than the council's current bus network, which was used by fewer than 3 per cent of local residents.Griffith University cities expert Matthew Burke was more optimistic, and said if the government moved quickly and thoughtfully, it could be done in time."We could have multiple crews, starting at each end, and kind of working on the stations simultaneously.
A sustainable city expert says, "it's increasingly the case that if you build more around cars, you drive the economy down"."The Sunshine Coast is the largest city in Australasia that's left without decent public transport," he said.The rapid bus service would ideally connect to aHowever, the proposed bus line currently terminates 10 kilometres north at Birtinya.
Sunshine Coast Birtinya Maroochydore Caloundra Bus Rapid Transit Rail Heavy Rail Rail Line Rapid Bus Network Olympic Games Brisbane 2032 Olympics Paralympic Games Paralympics Olympics Brisbane Olympics James Coutts Sunshine Coast Council Griffith University Matthew Burke Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli
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