Topic > Existing public transport system shortcomings and improvements for the Sunshine Coast

Transport services provided by local government or state government are generally affordable, accessible in most regions and aid movement to health facilities, leisure centers , schools and workplaces. A recent increase in the population of cities and connecting nodes following rural-urban migration in search of better socio-economic needs has put pressure on the existing transport system, significantly decreasing its economic sustainability in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. As a result, there has been a shift from reliance on public transportation to privately owned motor vehicles. Personal private vehicles are numerous and side effects include long, sustained traffic and increased effluent emissions. To solve this crisis, it is necessary to introduce a modern, well-organized and timetabled transport system to minimize existing shortcomings in public transport. Therefore, there is an urgent need to introduce a well-organized and properly scheduled rapid mass transit system while minimizing existing shortcomings. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Public transportation is a means of transportation available to the general public and owned by local or state governments in the context of large cities, it is called mass transit systems (White. 2002). It can be provided by various types of modes such as transit bus and rail services; however, most urban centers use buses and minibuses for transport, sometimes train services are also available. Public transport is the backbone of the economic and social activities of most urban centres, thus becoming a crucial element for the overall success of an urban centre's transport system. The mobility of the working class who are not wealthy enough to afford private cars is guaranteed and enabled, helps create and maintain livable communities with high-density land use, congestion resulting from numerous private cars is significantly reduced and it is present for a very long period because it is sustainable through sharing resources and at the same time protecting the environment. The passenger capacity of public transport systems is large and this offers the opportunity to carry out a large number of transports at the same time, especially during peak hours of the day. According to various studies, in an attempt to control road congestion, the integration of land use and transportation, road expansion and further construction of new roads have produced the desired results. However, the most efficient and reliable way to control congestion in urban centers is to use public transport services. Unlike private vehicles that can respond to changing transportation demand, the public transportation system is a process that changes over time at a pace that is not always constant. responsive to obtain the required services in a short period of time or instantly, but rather requires extended periods of time. Compared to other forms of transportation that can accommodate few people, mass transportation requires large amounts of capital to develop and serve. Investment in public transport infrastructure is directly proportional to the possible economic turnover and the population served. The construction and expansion of existing roads and infrastructure solves the congestion problem experienced in several urban centers and cities for a certain period (Tiwari, G. 2002).Unfortunately it appears to encourage the purchase and use of private vehicles which increase carbon monoxide (iv) emissions leading to environmental pollution and worsening very dense traffic congestion and associated side effects such as air pollution and acoustic (Beirão, G., & SarsfieldCabral, JA 2007). Due to inadequate funding, improving public transport is the most effective solution to decongesting roads compared to investing in other forms of transport. A public transport system that is efficient in terms of timetables, capable of accommodating large numbers of commuters at a time and is more accessible is the ultimate solution to congestion and should be included in future city center plans (Mackett, RL 2001). The Sunshine Coast The municipality is served by bus, rail services, air transport, cycling and walking as the main modes of transport. However, residents are heavily dependent on private transportation; the rate of private car ownership is high, as can be demonstrated by the large population of driving license holders. It is estimated that only a portion uses public transport weekly and this low dependence on public transport has been attributed to poor accessibility, inconvenient frequencies, non-competitive travel times and finally the presence of personal cars. There has been an increase in the number of residents cycling and walking. As a result, car-dominated travel is the result of a sparse population pattern, a lack of viable public transportation, and distances between centers that make walking and cycling not an option. Key challenges faced include: A rapidly growing and aging population: The Sunshine Coast's population has increased over the years and it is anticipated that the current transport system will not be able to serve this growing population. The population is ageing, which also poses a challenge for making exceptional travel arrangements to access, among other things, health services. Public transport does not have infrastructure to accommodate the age group. Accessible transportation systems, such as routes and intersections that can accommodate all users, must be incorporated. High dependency on private cars: Dependence on cars as a means of transportation is high. The dispersed population pattern, which has resulted in an inadequate public transportation system, has led to a culture of reliance on personal vehicles. Easy access to parking has also influenced the use of public transport. Congestion: High dependency on cars is the main cause of congestion during rush hours and lack of parking in some locations. Topographic limitation has also been cited as another cause of traffic congestion in the region due to lack of connectivity. The absence of suitable parallel routes running both north-south and east-west means the current network is less resilient and is more prone to accidents. Deficient and inadequate bus terminals - bus terminals are improperly located relative to population distribution patterns. Many system components are missing along with some basic services. Furthermore, there is a serious shortage of bus stops with standard services throughout the region. In addition to this, there are further shortcomings in the regulatory sector measures, such as inadequate loading and unloading and at the road ticket counter. Uncoordinated transportation system: Existing modes and submodalities (bus-water-bicycle and foot) act independently of each other. Only a small percentage of trips are made by public transport and the majority of tripsis completed using buses. The travel share of other rail and water transportation systems is very insignificant. Nearly 70% of all trips are made by personal vehicles. The movement of commuters during rush hours occurs mainly on the road. Other alternative travel systems have inherent weaknesses, as they are not aligned with commuter movement routes. The lack of passenger information, crucial information for commuters, in terms of route maps, timetables or service coverage, is virtually non-existent. For most bus service, passengers rely on being familiar with their schedule or waiting for their arrival at the bus stop. Fragmented ownership: The main public transport is transit buses, operated by local government and others privately owned. Private buses may be owned by multiple operators. There is a tendency for multiple operators to compete on the same route, which often leads to inefficient use of the road. Recommended transport policies to increase public transport modal share Sunshine Coast Council would improve the quality and quantity of public transport services and public transport modal share to within the next 30% of all journeys through acquisition and protection of future transport corridors, investing in better management of the road network, as part of an integrated multimodal transport system for the region. The integrated transportation system will include; high frequency transport links between major centers which will increase competitiveness and adequate growth as timely deliveries will be achieved, light transport by bus, light rail or passenger rail are the most reliable for this section. Secondly, the introduction and improvement of existing local links and feeder roads and services to support the high frequency transport system which in turn would provide rapid connections and local travel options. Furthermore, vehicles, mostly privately owned, will continue to be the most efficient and dominant means of transport in the region's hinterland and in the movement of goods. Furthermore, a healthy, sustainable and affordable transport network should be given priority. Cycling and walking will be the natural choice for short distances in urban centres. Finally, the connections at the final and initial points of the system were intended to complement the shortcomings of the network by facilitating connections with the entire system, the connection to the main stops, allowing movement within the centers. The options available are walking, cycling, bus and carpooling. For a transportation system to be sustainable it should adopt a very active transportation plan within the local government, a light rail that runs throughout the jurisdiction of the local government, incorporates environmentally friendly modes such as walking and cycling in any major infrastructure development, support and seek support from the state government to develop sufficient infrastructure and services, introduction of a reasonable transport tax fund to finance the construction of infrastructure and improvement of existing ones as funds for the advancement of the transport system are limited and finally a road safety plan should be put in place and implemented. Road management which involves the design and implementation of improvements aimed at creating a more understandable road network for its users. The management of roads will be determined and controlled by established guidelines, the roles which overall are established by the road nomenclature. Theremanagement of the demand for transport services during peak hours must be concentrated on the periods of greatest influx of passengers, days with a significant influx of visitors, student trips. Further improvement of local roads to facilitate connections with other road networks is expected to be of great value to all road users and every other mode of transport in the region. As the road network becomes more connected, an increase in network capacity is expected to quickly recover from congestion challenges, accessibility to different locations in the city center will be much easier, congestion reduced by distributing vehicles to various locations away from traffic hot spots and finally the previously absent components of the system necessary to complete the road series and ensure continuity of passenger movements. Intersection upgrades are usually undertaken for safety and/or capacity reasons. The needs of the current transportation mode used and all public modes along that route are aligned with the design and implementation of the upgrades. During the construction of the intersection it is necessary to ensure that there are no shortages in passable routes as this could motivate commuters to use shortcuts and inadvisable routes causing traffic jams. Local traffic management should only be used as a last resort. The preferred solution is improved road design, although some treatment may be required in existing areas with increasing non-local traffic load or excessive speed. Network resilience - The council's road network planning should be capable of providing and maintaining an accepted level of service despite failures and challenges such as extreme weather events and any other forms of disruption. A good example is the Bruce Highway, where accidents are becoming more frequent and there have been increased vehicle delays. There are very few options available to control traffic. Therefore, investments will bring improvements over a period of time in sections with this type of technical challenge. Existing road plans must be able to provide services in the event of a disaster and be able to recover quickly to serve the community once the event has occurred. In some cases, changes to the road system are increasingly less feasible if the measures necessary to control flooding during storms and tides are not achievable. The outcomes must balance community benefits with the provision of a transport link with easily achievable flood immunity relative to cost and time to flood immunity standards. The future and the climate are unpredictable; therefore, planning and investment will be required to respond to the challenges caused by climate change to transport networks. Road safety is an integral part of road use and operation policies. The Municipality will have the task of instructing drivers, cyclists and pedestrians on the correct use of road signs. They should also combine local safety initiatives with regional safety recommendations. Further land use patterns can be obtained by examining the demand for roads and infrastructure which will then help in the management of land earmarked for road use. The elements of road safety are: safe speeds provided for each section of the road, safe roads in terms of passability and in relation to road edges, the type of vehicles used must be safe and roadworthy and also safe road users such as pedestrians, drivers or cyclists. Aoptimal combination of safety rules is designed to ensure that every aspect of road safety is examined and that the provisions adopted are achievable, furthermore, the useful features of safety rules should positively support the economy and contribute to environmental conservation. The road toll due to accidents has recently increased and the objective is to exponentially reduce the incidence of trauma along the entire regional road route, up to a possible zero toll. This would mean that the streets are absolutely safe. Vehicle manufacturers have also introduced new safety features in their cars and this will progressively improve road safety. Travel plans will be adjusted to encourage walking for those traveling short distances. With the advent of mobile technology, intelligent apps can be used to communicate and provide relevant information to users. This targeted approach is advantageous as the targeted users are young people, workers and people near public transport corridors. The application will allow changes in modes based on the purpose of the trip which could be a trip to school, medical facilities or workplaces depending on the person. If weekend trips are for sports and leisure purposes, the app mode may be switched to leisure mode. Targeting specific groups and aiming to increase active travel to and from local sports and leisure facilities will be essential to achieving the region's mode sharing objectives and improving transport network management. The local council can also encourage the community by providing education programs through promoting national level events in the locality, such events are Ride to School Day and Walk to School Day, and these are aimed at getting families to see ways, means or alternative choices that could be used for regular travel. A schedule is also needed for weekday car use among community members going to work. There is recent information indicating that there is a reduction in the number of people sharing cars and that single car occupancy has taken precedence. Car sharing on certain days of the week and car pooling programs are also an alternative to the increased prevalence of public transport systems as they involve sharing. The efficiency of the necessary cars is maximized and the environment is also protected through the reduction of emissions. The private sector plays an important role in our society by providing jobs, among others, and its involvement will prove useful in the implementation of travel behavior programs by employers where employees generate a number of trips of commuters. Their influence will go a long way towards ensuring that the public transport system increases its modal share of the transport sector over time. The Sunshine Coast will also need a high-frequency transport network to manage growth, maintain quality of life through easy access to services and make as many journeys as possible at minimal cost and provide viable travel options in terms of suitability, accessibility to places of interest with minimal time. The combination of high frequency bus, passenger rail and light rail services will provide a sustainable means of bulk transport suited to the coastal urban centre. The main connecting areas will have to be carefully identified and this will take place between key business centers and population centres,.