Fare relief for fed-up passengers

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

Fare relief for fed-up passengers

The Newman LNP Government’s public transport fare incentives will provide cost of living relief for an increasing number of passengers fed up with Labor’s public transport hikes.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said TransLink’s January-to-March customer satisfaction survey showed affordability had dropped to new lows in the final months of the Bligh government.

“This is yet more evidence that Labor failed public transport passengers with its appalling record on affordability, reliability and patronage,” Mr Emerson said.

“Customer satisfaction for the January-to-March period shows affordability satisfaction for train passengers plummeted to 45 per cent – the first time this measure has ever dropped below 50 per cent,” Mr Emerson said.

“Likewise bus and ferry passengers are showing similar levels of dissatisfaction with affordability diving to 51 and 53 per cent respectively.

“Customer satisfaction was on a downward slope and Labor’s answer was ongoing fare increases of 15 per cent a year and to drive away passengers with four million fewer trips taken in July to December 2011 compared to the same period the previous year.

“An LNP Government will start restoring confidence in our public transport network and deliver commuters affordable transport options.

“We will be a passenger-focused government which is why we are introducing free travel after nine journeys in a Monday-to-Sunday week for go card users, from Monday 25 June.”

For a regular Monday to Friday commuter that will mean free travel home on a Friday afternoon and a potential saving of $150-$220 for most commuters who travel one, two or three zones. For people coming from the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast this could mean a potential saving of up to $500 a year.

“On top of free travel after nine journeys, the Newman Government is committed to halving Labor’s planned fare hikes,” Mr Emerson said.

“We will also tackle frequency by trialling additional daytime peak services on the Ferny Grove line.

“I’ve also ordered an audit into the reliability of Queensland Rail services following major delays in January, February and March which saw on-time running drop to its lowest level in three years.

“If we are going to get people back on to public transport and reverse the staggering decline in patronage of recent years then these issues need to be addressed.”