General News
27 February, 2026
Risky blindspot
AN eight-year-old Brinsmead schoolgirl has been instructed to wait for a bus on a blind corner without signs or a designated stop, prompting renewed scrutiny of Cairns’ “hail and ride” arrangements.
Registered nurse and Brinsmead resident Suri Hobday said her daughter Lilith had previously been picked up from outside their home but was recently told to walk to an unmarked roadside location on Loridan Drive.
“There’s no bus stop, no sign, and it’s on a blind corner,” Ms Hobday said.
“The bus has no room to pull over off the road,” she said.
Ms Hobday said she had sought a risk assessment from operator Kinetic and the school involved but had not been provided with documentation.
“I was told it’s one of the hail and ride stops that the public transport uses,” she said.
“That’s not good enough when you’re talking about children standing on a blind corner.”
Ms Hobday, who is also president of the Labor’s Barron River branch and a Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union councillor, said she raised the issue with the Transport Workers’ Union after learning of a recent provisional improvement notice issued in relation to bus driver running times.
“The bus drivers are under pressure to meet KPIs and schedules,” she said.
“If stops aren’t safe, that impacts, not only the drivers, but the public and road users.”
In a statement, a Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) spokesman said the Cairns bus network was last reviewed in 2024 and confirmed Loridan Drive was currently under review.
“TMR works with bus operators and local councils to regularly review regional bus networks, including hail and ride arrangements, to improve access, safety, customer amenity and network efficiency,” the spokesman said.
He said new hail and ride locations and existing locations were being reviewed.
“New hail and ride locations and existing locations are reviewed with councils and delivery partners to ensure they remain safe and suitable, noting operators determine the ongoing use of informal stops.
“Drivers only stop at hail and ride locations where it is safe to do so. If a location becomes unsafe, TMR works with operators through a formal review process to identify alternatives, with safety considerations a key priority. TMR is currently reviewing bus stops along Loridan Drive in Brinsmead with its delivery partner, Kinetic and Cairns Regional Council.”
Cairns Regional Council said the selection and assessment of hail and ride services were state responsibilities.
“Council is responsible for the building and upgrade of bus stops at approved TransLink sites, ensuring they meet relevant compliance standards.”
Ms Hobday said she welcomed the review of Loridan Drive but believed broader scrutiny was needed. “If it’s not safe for a child to stand there, it shouldn’t be used as a stop,” she said.
