IT was the end of the road for golf buggies on the bay islands when Redland City Council decided not to allow the "fore-wheel" vehicles on Karragarra, Lamb and Coochiemudlo islands.
At this month's full council meeting, the council "noted" an officer report instead of following a recommendation to give specially adapted golf buggies the green light on the islands.
The decision was made after Capalaba councillor Paul Gleeson tabled a letter from the Queensland Police Service indicating it would not support the move for safety reasons.
Cr Gleeson said he respected the police position, but added the novelty factor would have been great for tourism.
Bay island councillor Lance Hewlett, who supported the idea, said the city and islands would be missing an opportunity to be innovative and promote "eco friendly transport".
"I have spoken with residents on Coochie about this issue at length and discussed opportunities to introduce a solar-powered hub on the island to charge the buggies' batteries," Cr Hewlett said.
"Buggies can be fitted with seatbelts and lights and I think council caved in to the police too easily. We could have lobbied the state member Peter Dowling to ask the police minister to reconsider."
The council dropped speed limits for cars on the island from 60km/h to 40km/h in March, with a 20km/h limit around the jetty, which prompted residents to ask to use the buggies on the road. Redland City CEO Bill Lyon wrote to the Transport Department and police in May expressing in-principle support for the move but said the council would "respect and support" the police decision and asked residents to do the same.
"It was just a small hurdle to overcome and would have been ground breaking as we would have been the first council in Australia, that I am aware of, to permit these vehicles on public-owned roads."
