Sunshine Coast Council today (17 September) endorsed the 2019/20 Transport Levy Annual Report, which highlights council's work towards delivering an effective integrated transport network.
Community Portfolio Councillor Rick Baberowski said the Transport Levy helped council plan for the future, strategic, multi-modal transport needs of the Sunshine Coast.
"In 2019/20, the Transport Levy raised just over $6.3 million which council invested in planning, service improvements and infrastructure to support residents moving around efficiently and, importantly, continuing to build a Futures Fund," Cr Baberowski said.
"Moving around our region efficiently and sustainably is essential to maintaining the liveability and productivity of our region.
"An integrated transport network is more important than ever as our population continues to grow.
"While public transport services are the responsibility of the State Government, your council is investing in, and planning for, improved infrastructure to strengthen partnerships and act as a catalyst for improvement and innovation where it can benefit the community.
"We also recognise the importance of helping to drive behavioural change to encourage more people to use their private vehicle less and use the public transport options more and to strongly advocate and promote the provision of improved public transport in support of this shift away from such a strong reliance on the private motor vehicle.
"The Transport Levy provides the Sunshine Coast community with the financial resources to do this.
"The Levy has assisted council to trial transport services such as Flexilink, Council Link and the community-led Kenilworth Community Transport Service.
"In addition, $579,665 from the Transport Levy was used to upgrade 23 bus stops across the Sunshine Coast last financial year.
"These upgrades contributed to approximately 97 per cent of council's bus stops achieving compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.
"We are on track to meet the legislated schedule of full compliance by December 2022."
The Levy also continued to build the Transport Futures Fund which strengthens council's efforts to secure investment in critical strategic transport outcomes for the region.
The Transport Levy funded the Mass Transit Options Analysis work in 2019/20.
