13 Feb 2008: Go Card still needs a fair fare to go!

[ozbob]

Media Release 13 February 2008

SEQ:  Go Card still needs a fair fare to go!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport has again called for an urgent review of the Go Card frequent user fare scheme.  It is too expensive for many commuters and there is a lot of community concern and growing anti-Go Card sentiment.  The roll out of the Go Card has been a public relations disaster because of the cost impacts to regular public transport commuters.  There needs to be a firm commitment to reassure commuters that equitable fare structures will be forthcoming or the community back lash against the Go Card will be further exacerbated.  Even more perplexing is that the initial roll out area for the Go Card is one of the areas where the cost impacts of the frequent user scheme are the greatest!

Robert Dow said:

?The Translink Go Card is progressively being rolled out.?

?Commuters are waking up to the significance of the high cost frequent user fare scheme.  RAIL Back On Track has previously highlighted some of the impacts of this inequitable fare structure (1).?

?RAIL Back On Track has received feedback and there are many reports in the media of very dissatisfied Go Card users who are becoming aware of the significant increases in their cost of travel relative to integrated paper ticketing.  There is no off-peak ticketing available on the Go Card either and this is of great concern to many commuters too!?

?Calls have been made previously for guarantees that no commuters would be worse off using the Go Card.  Clearly that is not the case and explains the non response to these calls.?

?The Translink Go Card frequent user scheme is a failure.  Base fares on the card should be reduced by 25%, retain the broad principle of the frequent user scheme and this would then provide an equitable fare and incentive to uptake. This would be easy to implement and would make the Go Card cost neutral for most relative to the present paper integrated ticketing.?

?Other smart card ticketing systems in use, for example London and Perth, provide real incentives for uptake which just reflect the improvements in the efficiency of public transport and cost savings that can be achieved by a high uptake of the card.?

?The Go Card is presently a wasted opportunity because of the bizarre fare structure on the card,? said Robert Dow, spokesman for RAIL Back On Track.

References:

1. Go Card users do your sums!  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=443.0

Contact:

Robert  Dow

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