What they said: Councillors divided over transit plan

There was a fiery debate in yesterday's council meeting as councillors revealed their preferred course of action for public transport in the region.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson announcing the start of construction for the new city hall at Maroochydore City Centre.

Sunshine Coast councillors are on the record with their preferred course of action in shaping the future of public transport in the region.

While they agreed public transport was in desperate need of improvement, how to tackle the issue caused fiery debate at Thursday's ordinary meeting.

A majority of Sunshine Coast councillors voted in favour of having more public consultation on the region's mass transit plan before it was progressed to the State Government for a detailed business case.

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The notice of motion to not progress the Sunshine Coast Mass Transit plan without more feedback was initially tabled by Councillor Joe Natoli and later amended by Cr Christian Dickson.

The plan outlines ways to address public transport between Caloundra and Maroochydore, with light rail the preferred option.

But some councillors and a community group, Mass Transit Action Group, have raised concerns about the lack of knowledge about infill development associated with the light rail proposal.

Division 6 councillor Christian Dickson.

Cr Dickson said residents wanted to be consulted about the options on the table.

A need for a public transport plan was initially touted in 2012 in the council's Line in the Sand report.

Consultation was undertaken in 2014 to help form the strategic business case.

The State Government has promised to chip in $7.5 million towards the $15 million detailed business case, hoped to be finalised next year.

Following Thursday's vote, residents will have their say on the current draft plan before it is passed to the government to work on the final business case.

The motion was voted in seven to three with councillors Dickson, Natoli, Ted Hungerford, Jason O'Pray, David Law, Maria Suarez and Winston Johnston in favour.

Councillors Peter Cox, Terry Landsberg and Mayor Mark Jamieson voted against it.

Cr Rick Baberowski did not vote due to ill health.

Cr Suarez said the need for a usable public transport system was not up for debate, but rather the associated infill development being proposed.

"Cr Cox mentioned that it's been highlighted in various documents but really that information should still go hand-in-hand (with the mass transit plan) when we do go out for consultation," Cr Suarez said.

"It'll let the community understand the intent of the mass transit plan and allay some of the fear and misinformation."

Division 2 Sunshine Coast Councillor Terry Landsberg.

Councillors Landsberg, Cox and Jamieson contested recent claims that the light rail would result in high-rise development along the coastal strip.

"Mass transit systems do not require high rises to be effective and efficient," Cr Landsberg said.

"It requires appropriate densities near mass transit stations, whether it's 400m to a kilometre away," Cr Landsberg said.

He said people making those claims hadn't done their homework and delaying the process would lead to higher car usage, more traffic congestion and less productivity.

Cr Jamieson said great work had been done on the plan during the past 10 years.

He hit back at criticism from Kawana MP Jarrod Bleijie, who this week described the plan as the "biggest risk" to the region's lifestyle.

"I've put more thought into what the Sunshine Coast needs in terms of transportation than Mr Bleijie," Cr Jamieson said.

"He doesn't have a plan at all.

"The roads are choked, they're failing now but we have no plan, nothing.

"Why isn't he being held to account for what's he's not doing?"

While further consultation could delay the process by a few months, Cr Johnston said it was worth it.

He said there needed to be more consideration into the feed in transport to the system.

"Before we invest $7.5 million (for the detailed business case) we need to know what we're investing in is what the community will accept," Cr Johnston said.

Cr David Law said the consultation should take into account the region's population growth forecast, which is 518,000 residents by 2041.

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