Ministerial Statement: Regional bus fares to rise in line with CPI

[ozbob]

Transport and Multicultural Affairs
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

Friday, December 30, 2011

Regional bus fares to rise in line with CPI

Fares for qconnect services in regional Queensland will increase in line with CPI in the New Year, to help operators meet operating costs.

Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Department of Transport and Main Roads had recommended a 2.9 per cent fare increase from 1 January 2012.

"We understand that public transport is the lifeblood of many small communities and that's why the department has kept this increase as low as possible," Ms Palaszczuk said

"It's a small increase – in line with CPI – that will help ensure operators can meet their costs and remain viable."

Transport and Main Roads review fares and sets maximum fares operators can charge, based on a number of factors including operating costs.

"The small increase in fare prices next year will help regional services cover their operation costs and continue providing what is a vital service to all regional public transport passengers," she said.

Operators retain any increases in fare revenue to invest directly back into providing better services.

"We remain committed to ensuring that people in regional Queensland have access to affordable public transport and will continue to ensure that fares are kept as low as possible.

"More than 12.4 million qconnect trips were taken across Queensland last financial year so it's clear this is an important service."

Minister Palaszczuk also reminded regional commuters to make use of the online qconnect journey planner to plan their bus trips.

"The journey planner is a handy, free tool that provides online timetable information for qconnect
bus trips," Ms Palaszczuk said.

Qconnect services operate in: Airlie Beach and Proserpine, Bowen,Bundaberg, Cairns, Gladstone, Gympie, Hervey Bay, Innisfail, Kilcoy to Caboolture, Mackay, Magnetic Island, Maleny to Beerwah,Maryborough, North Stradbroke Island, Rockhampton, Toowoomba,Townsville and Warwick

Further qconnect information is available at www.tmr.qld.gov.au

[Set in train]

Will any of the sleepy holiday Brisbane media make the connection with this that commuters here are suffering hikes 5 times this and more? Translink territory has been doing it tough too, that is simply PR BS.

[ozbob]

From the Townsville Bulletin click here!

The North's bus fares to increase tomorrow

The North's bus fares to increase tomorrow

RYAN MATHESON  |  December 31st, 2011

THE cost of public transport is set to increase across the North as the State Government looks to cover operating costs for services in regional Queensland.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads yesterday handed down a 2.9 per cent fare increase on all public bus services from January 1.

The fare increases will apply to qconnect services in Airlie Beach and Proserpine, Bowen, Mackay and Townsville. Townsville passengers can expect fares to increase on all Hermit Park Bus Service and Sunbus routes.

A spokesman for Transit Australia Group, which is Sunbus's parent company, said the increases were nothing out of the ordinary.

"The changes will mean general fares will increase by about 10 cents so it's certainly not anything drastic," he said.

"The department set the prices themselves and we simply collect the fares on behalf of the State Government.

"From our perspective, the fares are quite reasonable considering the rising cost of things such as diesel over the past 12 months."

Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the decision was designed to protect the future of public transport in the region.

"We understand that public transport is the lifeblood of many small communities and that's why the department has kept this increase as low as possible," she said.

"This small increase in fare prices next year will help regional services cover their operation costs and continue providing what is a vital service to all regional public transport passengers."

Ms Palaszczuk said the extra revenue would be used to help provide better services.

Taxi fares are set to remain unchanged in the New Year following a review by the state's Taxi Council.

The decision was handed down this week following a six-month review to determine if changes in taxi industry operating costs warranted a change to the maximum fares taxis might charge.

[ozbob]

There is a dichotomy of public policy here that is most intriguing ...

[#Metro]

There is a dichotomy of public policy here that is most intriguing ...

I think it makes sense. Q connect is a coverage-goal service, and I doubt that the demands for PT on it are approaching anything required for TransLink's network.

[SurfRail]

It also helps your bottom line in regional areas when all you run is buses.

[somebody]

It also helps your bottom line in regional areas when all you run is buses.

If you are running rail services poorly this is true.