Opposition Statement: Coalition calls for early bird commuter discount

[ozbob]

From http://www.qldcoalition.org.au/news/article.aspx?ID=2129

Go Card release plagued by problems

Tuesday, 26 February 2008

THE official roll-out of the long-awaited Go Card ticketing system continues to be plagued by problems, despite the Queensland Labor Government having more than five years to fix it.

The system is still experiencing problems with the GPS system not registering the location of bus readers, while many commuters face a fare increase under the inflexible discount option.

Shadow Minister for Transport Tim Nicholls said despite the State Government?s promise that any problems would be ironed out before the system was rolled-out, commuters were still experiencing daily frustration with the electronic ticket.

?The Government has had more than enough time to get the Go Card up and running,? he said.

?How many more years will commuters be forced to wait before all the bugs are finally sorted out and we have the ticketing system that was promised??

?Yesterday?s roll-out of the system is simply the Government trying to save face after years of missed deadlines and embarrassment,? Mr Nicholls said.

Under the State Government?s Go Card ticketing system, students and long-distance and infrequent travellers will be worse off.

The Government?s decision to cut QR ticket agents out of the sale of the popular weekly and monthly paper tickets will mean bus and ferry commuters are forced to buy tickets from a QR ticket office.

?The State Government is systematically forcing commuters to use the Go Card by making it harder to buy the current paper tickets,? Mr Nicholls said.

?The discount option that is currently available for commuters using the Go Card is nowhere near as competitive.?

?Until the Government is able to come up with a similar discount option, it is unfair to expect commuters to be slugged with the hefty price increase,? he said.

?The State Government needs to start looking at solutions to solve these issues.  Commuters will soon realise the Government?s attempt to hood-wink them by providing less for more.?