Forget the busy roads and trying to find a car park these holidays – catch a free bus instead.
That’s the message from Sunshine Coast Council after launching its Free Holiday Buses program in Mooloolaba today. Travel on all Coast public buses will be free from Boxing Day to 6 January.
“People can leave their cars at home and won’t have to worry about how they’ll get to all the wonderful festivities that are held in our region this time of year,” Mayor Mark Jamieson said.
“With the warm weather we’ve had here on the Coast it’s likely we’ll see a busy tourist season, which means more cars on our roads and less parking spots at our popular destinations, so it’s a perfect time of year to make the most of the free public transport.”
Transport Strategy Portfolio Councillor Rick Baberowski said there were more than 300,000 passenger trips on the free buses last year, up 50 per cent compared to the previous year.
“There is plenty of capacity on our modern air-conditioned buses so we are hoping to see an even higher number of bus trips this year – especially with the Coast’s only double-decker bus joining the Sunbus fleet this summer and free to ride during the Free Holiday Bus period,” Cr Baberowski said.
“Christmas can be an expensive time of year – families, friends, young and old, can all benefit from the free buses and put the saved fares into something else.
“There’s also extra free bus services planned for New Year’s Eve, to help alleviate some of the traffic congestion and make it easier for locals and visitors to get safely around.”
Free public transport includes:
TransLink’s Sunshine Coast Sunbus services (27 routes across the Sunshine Coast), including the double-decker which is operating every day on various Sunbus routes between Caloundra and Noosa
Glasshouse Country Coaches services (Hinterland Connect and Maleny-Landsborough-Beerwah)
Flexilink services (Boreen Point to Tewantin, Conondale to Witta to Maleny, Kenilworth to Mapleton and Peachester to Beerwah)
Council Cabs.
The Free Holiday Buses are funded by council’s Public Transport Levy and supported by TransLink.
Timetables for Sunbus services are available from TransLink’s website or phone 13 12 30. For Glasshouse Country Coaches, Council Cabs and Flexilink timetables visit council’s website or phone (07) 5475 7272. Normal booking procedures apply to Council Cabs and Flexilink services.
