31 May 2014: SEQ: Fare affordability crisis worsens

[ozbob]

Media release 31st May 2014



SEQ: Fare affordability crisis worsens

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has said the TransLink performance snap shot data for April 2014 has again confirmed that affordability has worsened and is still tracking along in the 'cellar of despair'.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Fares for public transport in SEQ have gone up in real terms (compound) around 83% for go card and 114% for paper single tickets during the period 2010-2014 (1).

"CPI for the period 2010-2014 has gone up around 9.5% (2).  The sheer magnitude of the fare increases has stagnated patronage on public transport in SEQ.  Fare box revenue is also on the slide.  To continue on this failed fare path is not in the interests of anyone."

"It is then little wonder then that affordability is again the stand out failure for the TransLink Customer Satisfaction KPIs (3, 5). Worst unaffordability ever recorded for ferry and rail."

"A new balanced fare system needs to be put in place (4).  A fare system that drives patronage around the clock, is affordable and fair to all.  The present free after nine paid journeys is easily rorted and is adding to further cost pressures for high base fares. This failed fare paradigm was introduced by the former State Government as free after 10 paid journeys in a week. The Newman Government simply carried on the basic flawed paradigm by changing it 9 paid journeys in a week as the threshold. The end result has been worsening patronage, a failed fare box and  worsening affordability overall."

"There are very big cost savings to be made by getting people back on public transport.  Fares in SEQ are amongst the worlds most expensive.  Time to act!"

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

References:

1. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10048.msg135186#msg135186

2. http://www.oesr.qld.gov.au/products/tables/cpi-all-groups-bris-wt-avg-eight-qtr/index.php

3. http://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/open-data/2014-apr-snapshot.pdf

4.  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10571.msg139861#msg139861

5.  The April 2014 Public transport performance data for affordability:

http://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/open-data/2014-apr-snapshot.pdf page 14

[ozbob]

Discussion --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10048.msg142600#msg142600

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow

Bob's Blog: The fare fail - a blast from the past --> http://railbotforum.org/bb/index.php  #qldpol #auspol #springst #nswpol #sapol #wapol #farefailSEQ

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

14th June 2014

Go card data confirms the fare failure in south-east Queensland

Greetings,

Thanks to Brisbanetimes and Mr Tony Moore. Finally some meaningful data on go card usage and the fare fail in south east Queensland generally.

As suspected the article (below) confirms that paper ticket users are carrying a disproportionate inequitable share of the fare box.

" ... Go Card passengers paid 73 per cent of all fares and took 83 per cent of all trips, while passengers using paper tickets paid 27 per cent of fares and made 17 per cent of trips .. "

It is also confirms that the RAIL Back On Track campaign 'don't get angry, get even' fare campaign .. ( http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10444.0 ) is starting to have an effect.

Go card 'rorting' is increasing.  That is, people taking lunch time trips etc. to offset longer high cost journeys.

Is this equitable?  Cashed up ' suits ' ripping off the system whilst paper ticket users are belted with obscenely priced limited use paper single tickets?

A fare path that has increased the public subsidy, made fares reach the worst unaffordability levels ever and stagnated patronage growth is a failure. What sort of crazy fare structure is this?

It is time to roll out an immediate fix to the failed fare system.  A new generation ticketing system is on the horizon for 2016.  As part of this new ticketing system full and proper public consultation should be undertaken to come up with fare options that are affordable, equitable for all and drive public transport use around the clock.  By doing this roads become less congested, there are reduced costs to our struggling health care sector.  Environmental impacts are lessened. Our huge investment in our public transport asset is used for the maximum benefit for all.

A suggested immediate fix.  The present go card system has limitations, these suggestions are made with a view to what can be implemented on the present go system. For the next generation ticketing system options such as daily capping and open payment systems need to be properly considered.

Meanwhile do this:

1. Reset base fares on go card.  Zone one fare $2.50, with 40 cent increments to zone 10, then 80 cent increments to zone 23.

2. Increase off peak discount to 30%.

3. Remove the free travel after 9 paid journeys in a week. This is nothing but a rort and is a cause of significant fare box leakage.  Replace with 50% fares after 9 paid journeys in a week.  This will greatly reduce the rorting, and in any case still return a fare box.

4. Allow children to travel free on weekends and public holidays with a fare paying adult.

5. Concession card holders fares remain 50% of adult fares. Concession fares be extended to the unemployed, as is the case in every other state and territory of Australia.

6. Remove paper tickets.

The cost of the free after nine  is costing around $50 million per year* in my opinion.  This would make a huge difference to the public transport budget if the fare system was fixed up, not only would that go but more people could afford to travel.

*70,000 per week x $7 subsidy +$2 lost fare = $630,000/ week say $50 million per year in direct costs.  Costs flow on to congestion, health care sector, environmental as well in an indirect way as well.

The Government has budgeted $38 million for the next four years for the free after nine, what nonsense.

Consider this:

" ... Foregone revenue associated is not able to be calculated given many of these trips
would not have been taken without this beneficial policy ... "

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2014/355-2014.pdf

Unless you provide a daily break up that claim is baseless.  No doubt most of just cashed up commuters doing their normal Thursday and Friday journeys for free ...

" The nine and free policy is budgeted to cost $38 million over four years. "  Mr Emerson Statement 10 June 2014 ( http://fionasimpson.com.au/News/StateNews/tabid/70/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1332/Policy-delivers-seven-million-free-trips.aspx  Queensland Parliament web site presently having issues .. )

If they cannot calculate foregone revenue then how can they calculate a budgeted cost?  It is a nonsense. Classic double think, George Orwell would be proud!

The evidence is clear.  The fare system for south-east Queensland is a failure and it is anti-public transport.

The Premier indicated in the Six month action plan in January 2013 that a new fare structure for south-east Queensland would be delivered.  Where is it?

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Brisbanetimes --> Friday is becoming free day on Go Cards

About one in seven Go Card trips today on a bus, train or a ferry in Southeast Queensland is free, according to the latest breakdown of Translink statistics.

The number of free Go Card trips per week is closing on 100,000 according to information revealed last week following a Question on Notice lodged in May.

Commuters are allowed free travel on SEQ's public transport if they have already used nine trips on their Go Card.

For three individual weeks in March 2014 the number of free Go Card trips were; 96,455, 95,073 and 94,960.

However the average number of free trips taken on Go Cards increased by 2840 in 18 months; from 72,712 in March 2012 to 75,552 in October 2013.

Most of the free trips are taken on Friday's (12.7 per cent), Saturdays (increased to 14.4 per cent) and Sundays (up to 16.1 per cent of all journeys).

However the Translink data also shows an increase in free trips on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Wednesday's free trips on Go Cards increased from 0.5 per cent of the 452,930 journeys in 2012, to 0.6 per cent of the 469,244 total Go card journeys.

Thursday's free trips have increased from 2.3 per cent of the total 452,930 journeys in 2012, to 2.5 per cent of the 469,244 total journeys in 2013.

The actual figures for mid-week free trips could not be provided by Translink because the day-by-day accumulation of weekly trips varies, Transport Minister Scott Emerson's spokeswoman said.

This week Mr Emerson said an extra $38 million over four years would cover the extra free trips.

The weekly breakdown shows free Go Card trips soar in March – over 94,000 per week – and predictably sink over school holidays and in the week before Christmas.

Over Christmas–New Year 2012 the number of free trips taken dropped to 19,122, while over Christmas-New Year in 2013 free trips dropped to 20,687.

In 2014 Go Card passengers paid 73 per cent of all fares and took 83 per cent of all trips, while passengers using paper tickets paid 27 per cent of fares and made 17 per cent of trips.

That is because Go Card fares are only two-thirds the price of paper tickets to encourage people to use Go Cards, Mr Emerson's spokeswoman said.

In 2012-13 slightly less - $259.8 million or 72 per cent - of total fares of $361 million were collected by Go Cards.

And just over 28 per cent of fare revenue – or $101.2 million - was collected by the paper tickets.

Peak time fares raked in $261 million with adult Go Cards contributing $212.4 million and concession travellers $70.2 million.  Those on seniors cards kicked in $9 million, while children accounted for $9.1 million.  Paper tickets during peak travel times brought in $60.1 million.

Off-peak travel told its own story. Adult Go Card users contributed $54.8 million, with paper ticket travellers spending $41.1 million over the same period.  Concession Go Card travellers spent $37.2 million, seniors $6.1 million and children a little less at $5.8 million.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/friday-is-becoming-free-day-on-go-cards-20140613-zs7jl.html

[techblitz]

The key to a lot of  this is not how many free trips are happening on which days...but how many "3 journey days" are happening as opposed to 2. Naturally...not purposely.

You would almost certainly find that around higher bus frequency major social hubs such as chermside,Gcity,indro,toowong,sunnybank,hyperdome etc that there are a lot of "3 per dayers" due to things like after work/uni meetups,shopping,appointments,gym etc etc.

should be interesting  >>>

Next week - Do these figures mask an emerging inner-city verus suburban Brisbane transport bias?

[ozbob]

... The actual figures for mid-week free trips could not be provided by Translink because the day-by-day accumulation of weekly trips varies, Transport Minister Scott Emerson's spokeswoman said ...

^    bull, they can and won't because it will be another nail into the SEQ fare fail coffin ...

[#Metro]

The admission that there is variation in the numbers directly implies that the numbers exist.

This is becoming more and more stupid by the day. Perverse and market distorting system the pollies have put up.

[ozbob]

The admission that there is variation in the numbers directly implies that the numbers exist ...

Exactly, signs of 'frantic spin panic ' ... looking forward to #qldvotes