Greens: reduce fares within BCC area to 2011 prices

[aldonius]

http://itsyourbrisbane.com/media/cost-shock-plan-public-transport-back-to-2011-prices/

The Greens committed to reduce congestion on Brisbane roads today by cutting public transport fares back to 2011 levels, saving regular commuters up to $550 a year. Lord Mayoral candidate Ben Pennings said their Cost Shock To Bust Congestion Plan would get Brisbane residents back on public transport and reduce congestion.

"The tunnels and bridges they make us pay to use cost over 10 billion dollars, yet congestion is as bad as ever. Meanwhile, the ALP and LNP have raised prices to make Brisbane the country's most expensive capital city for public transport," Mr. Pennings said.

"With petrol becoming cheaper we need a cost shock to encourage people back on public transport instead of further clogging Brisbane's roads. Our reduction to 2011 prices would lead to over 17 million extra trips on public transport per year," he said.

"Our plan avoids the buck-passing and blame game by directly funding Translink to reduce all fares for bus, ferry and train trips within the Brisbane City Council area to 2011 prices, saving regular commuters up to $550 per year," he said.

The plan would cost 60 million dollars over 2 years, and will be accompanied by a concerted campaign to convince the State Government to reduce public transport fares Statewide by the next election.

"Our fully costed plan is less than 10% of the 650 million dollars the LNP wants to spend saving drivers just 60 seconds on Kingsford Smith Drive. The ALP's public transport plans are vague and they refuse to cost them. Petitioning your own party is not much of a plan," he said.

"The Greens in council will prioritise reducing congestion and cost of living issues through affordable public transport, not expensive road projects inviting more congestion to our already choked up city," he said.

[ozbob]

Fare review is underway ...

Good to see the issues being highlighted though.

Fares outside SEQ are actually quite affordable and very reasonable.  The problem is SEQ.

[#Metro]

I think after this election, ALL semblance of integration will be lost! 

Just dig a moat around the city.

Although, I would call this policy "Cost Explosion Reversal"

[ozbob]

There was a ' moat ' around the joint once - there were market gardens.  Sort of explains the strange way Brisbane evolved.

Some still think that there is BCC and the rest.  They ignore the fact that it is all rather seamless now with merged suburbia.



Ashgrove 1929

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Greens promise public transport fares of 2011

... Mr Pennings said the Greens would announce their proposal for a rethink on Victoria Bridge – the major inner-city crossing for buses – later in the week.

"We'll be releasing our Victoria Bridge policy later this week and it will be as effective as the LNP's $1.5 billion, by spending $40 million," he said ...

"We'll also release our own public transport infrastructure plan in the next two weeks ...

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

10th February 2016

Why are Queenslanders so stupid?

Good Morning,

Raising of false expectations with respect to fares is anti-public transport.  It is disappointing that BCC Candidates other than the incumbent Lord Mayor Graham Quirk,  cannot understand the need for a properly integrated fare system for SEQ.

The basic problem with public transport in SEQ is a grossly inefficient network due to the divide between BCC and the rest of SEQ and Brisbane Transport and the various operators.  It is a shambolic network.  This has been a major factor in the very high cost fares presently on the system.

Candidates raising false expectations with respect to fares is very unhelpful and  destructive.  The State Government has commissioned a fare review, this needs to run to completion.  Actions by both the ALP and Greens Candidates is not helpful in getting an affordable, equitable fare structure embedded in a coherent fare system for SEQ.

We have repeatedly called for public transport functions to be removed from BCC.  Only by doing that will the festering mess really be improved for the long term. The Public Transport Authority needs to be a real authority as for other states.  Not a part time, part place authority.

We are heartened though by the Greens recognition that bus network reform will deliver great gains at relatively small cost, compared to ' Metro '  and ' Light Rail ' pipe dreams which are simply thought bubbles at present.

We need to fix up what we have got.  Why are Queenslanders so stupid?

Best wishes
Robert

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

Reference:

Fare Review Taskforce Terms of Reference > http://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/fares/fare-review-ToR

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/2016-brisbane-city-council-elections.html
The BrizCommuter word on The Green's policies.

[aldonius]

Briz, you missed a couple (assuming you want an exhaustive list). They also want to extend concession availability to the unemployed (Pennings told me that's an interim measure, and it will be state Greens platform in 2018), and introduce free senior/pensioner travel off-peak on BT buses.

So that highlights the "State ineffectiveness driving BCC political opportunity" meme.

[#Metro]

So that highlights the "State ineffectiveness driving BCC political opportunity" meme.

The Queensland Government has been absolutely complicit in all of this IMHO.

It could terminate this circus easily, just legislate all PT to return to the Queensland Government. When offered the

entire BCC bus network on a silver platter, they rejected it. They don't want to pay money from the State Budget

(despite every other Australian capital city doing so). And the RBTU supports State Government MPs, writing a pact

with now Deputy Premier Jackie Trad not to reform the bus network.

[Golliwog]

So that highlights the "State ineffectiveness driving BCC political opportunity" meme.

The Queensland Government has been absolutely complicit in all of this IMHO.

It could terminate this circus easily, just legislate all PT to return to the Queensland Government. When offered the

entire BCC bus network on a silver platter, they rejected it. They don't want to pay money from the State Budget

(despite every other Australian capital city doing so). And the RBTU supports State Government MPs, writing a pact

with now Deputy Premier Jackie Trad not to reform the bus network.

Who do you think actually owns the busways? Compare that to who's coming up with the metro scheme... I'll give you a hint, they're two different levels of government.

State seems to be fairly firmly staying out of the local election cycle. I'm half expecting the Fare review report not to be released until after the local elections to avoid it being caught up in all those shenanigans.