Russell Island residents plan to set up bus service

Long-time resident and bus driver Steve Johnson said the island only had two services a day, predominantly for school kids, and needed a comprehensive bus route.

Blue Bus Company operates the current bus service which runs in a circuit along Canaipa Road to Sandy Beach.

However, Mr Johnson said residents needed services throughout the day to all parts of the island, not just the school.

“To start with, we would just have the one bus covering 80 per cent of the island doing four trips a day,” he said.

“If we get the customers, we may increase that to a hail service so customers just wave for the bus to stop.”

He said he envisaged five zones for the island network, which he hoped would be privately funded and include a 58-seat coach with wheelchair access.

Initially, he said he hoped his bus service would connect with every third ferry service leaving the island.

Mr Johnson, who has worked for Transdev as a bus driver, said he would drive the bus and had started talks with two large transport providers.

“Plans are still in the pipeline so it will be weeks away before any decision is made and then we will have to draw up a ticketing structure and options for routes,” he said.

Redland City Council would have to approve the service, which was trialled in the past.