Opposition Statement: Ten Trip tickets must be made available to commuters

[ozbob]

Ten Trip tickets must be made available to commuters

Friday, 20 June 2008

DESPITE the price of fuel, interest rates and grocery prices continuing to rise, the Queensland Labor Government is now refusing to provide Go Card users with a discount option like the ten trip saver tickets.

Shadow Minister for Transport Tim Nicholls said the Government?s decision to scrap the popular ten trip saver ticket was very disappointing news for commuters who used it to take more than 9.2 million trips each year.

"Ten trip savers are a popular incentive for commuters who might not catch public transport every day, but are still regular users of Brisbane's bus and ferry services," he said.

Mr Nicholls said more than 2,000 people had last year signed petitions protesting against the State Government?s plans to scrap the ten trip saver system.

"Despite this overwhelming response, the State Government has so far failed to provide an alternative discount option through the so-called ?smart? Go Card," he said.

"Commuters are entitled to be suspicious. This Government is deliberately letting the ten trip saver system run down so commuters are forced onto the less flexible, more expensive Go Card."

"If this Labor Government genuinely wants to get people out of their cars and onto our trains, buses and ferries ? it needs to encourage behavioural change through cheaper and more flexible ticketing alternatives. Blaming faulty technology for removing discounts for public transport users is just nonsense."

http://www.qldcoalition.org.au/news/article.aspx?ID=2518