Statement: Affordability up on LNP fare package

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

Affordability up on LNP fare package

The Newman Government's moves to tackle cost of living pressures on South-East Queensland public transport users, continues to be welcomed by passengers and their hip pockets.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said in the first quarter (July to September) since the Government introduced free travel after nine weekly journeys, customer satisfaction for affordability had improved, compared to the final two quarters under Labor's failed fare policy.

"Both patronage and customer satisfaction have gone up since the Newman Government delivered fare relief for passengers on June 25," Mr Emerson said.

"These are encouraging signs after four years of declining patronage and satisfaction under Labor."

Satisfaction with affordability on trains fell to a record low score of 45 in the January to March 2012 quarter, but has recovered to 50 in the July to September quarter following the start of the LNP's $9 million investment in affordability.

"Similarly, bus affordability hit a record low score of 51 in January to March 2012, but has recovered to 54 in the July-to-September quarter," he said.

The Q4 2011/12 TransLink Tracker highlights the final quarter under Labor's public transport policies with patronage falling to a four-year low of 178.3 million, almost eight million below budget.

"However patronage has increased since the LNP's fare policy, by more than 600,000 trips between July and September," Mr Emerson said.

"Free travel after nine journeys is a success with passengers enjoying up to 200,000 free weekly trips.

"We will also be halving Labor's planned fare hikes in January 2013 and January 2014.

"As part of our plan to get people back on public transport, frequency and reliability have also been improving with 28 new daily weekday train services introduced earlier this month."

Customer satisfaction (affordability)

Train Bus Ferry

Q2 2011/12
   
52 57 61

Q3 2011/12 *
   
45 51 53

Q4 2011/12
   
48 52 54

Q1 2012/13 **
   
50 54 57

* Measures following Labor's third 15 per cent fare increase

** Measures following the introduction of free travel after nine journeys

[ozbob]

Marginal improvement of doubtful statistical significance.

Fares still need a review ...

[somebody]

So tracker has been released the week after the Estimates hearing.  Hmmm.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

25th October 2012

Affordability up on LNP fare package - comment on statement

Greetings,

The Minister is clutching at straws. Fare affordability is still very poor overall.  The only people who can get some relief are those doing more than 9 paid journeys in the week.  The fare box leakage is becoming a major problem.  The variation is of doubtful statistical significance, however it is still bad.


Families are struggling to get on to public transport.  No family/group ticket.

Current family/groups tickets in state capitals http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9123.0


Pensioners, particularly those who don't have high frequency services find to difficult to achieve their two journey cap.   Give Pensioners free off peak travel, concession fares during the peaks.

Current Senior fares in state capitals  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9122.0


All health care card holders don't get concession travel in Queensland, all other states and territories they do.

Health care cards and concession fares around the nation  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9124.0


We again call for an urgent review of the fares.  Further increases of 7.5% without offsets will just worsen fare affordability and drive more fare box leakage.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Fare satisfaction up but has long way to go

Fare satisfaction up but has long way to go
October 26, 2012 - 3:00AM
Katherine Feeney

Commuter satisfaction with TransLink fares edged higher in the past four months, according to figures released yesterday, but the score of 50 out of 100 remains well short of benchmarks.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson said the TransLink Tracker results for the first quarter (July to September) had seen satisfaction with affordability improve following record lows from January to March.

He said a $9 million investment in affordability, particularly the initiative offering free travel after nine journeys in a week, was a decisive factor in lifting the satisfaction score from 45 to 50.

Scores are out of a possible 100, with levels of 75 and above classed "best practice" and 60 and above considered "satisfactory".

"Free travel after nine journeys is a success, with passengers enjoying up to 200,000 free weekly trips," Mr Emerson said.

"As part of our plan to get people back on public transport, frequency and reliability have also been improving, with 28 new daily weekday train services introduced earlier this month."

But Robert Dow, a spokesman for commuter lobby group Rail Back on Track, said a score of 50 was nothing to be proud of.

Mr Dow, who is petitioning for a review of TransLink's fare structure, said the free-after-nine program was an "illusion" because it favoured inner-city commuters, who were less affected by the system's high base fares.

Under the current TransLink fare structure, a single-trip, one-zone adult paper ticket costs $4.50 – the same trip on a Go Card costs $3.05, or $2.44 off-peak.

An adult single 1-2 section MyBus ticket in New South Wales costs $2.10, while an adult single zero-to-10-kilometre MyTrain ticket costs $3.40.

NSW and Victoria also offer bulk-trip tickets similar to the weekly and monthly tickets scrapped last year by the previous government.

"I think they really do need to review the fares completely and address the fact that there's no family or group ticket on the system in south-east Queensland," Mr Dow said. "And every other state in Australia affords concession travel to healthcare card holders – Queensland doesn't.

"We also need better travel for seniors — seniors who are in the outer suburbs find it very hard to get the low-cost nine journeys up, but someone in Kelvin Grove can get a couple of quick trips in, and then head off to the Gold Coast for free.

"It's good to see there is some improvement, but when you think it through, it's going to become an unsustainable system. It's going to cause more fare hikes."

Mr Emerson said fares would go up over the next two years, but at half the rate of the previous government's successive 15 per cent hikes.

The slight improvement for the government came after an embarrassing Go Card glitch led to thousands of customers with auto top-up accounts being charged for trips they never took.

It also follows a disappointing annual report showing patronage across the TransLink network was significantly down last financial year.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/fare-satisfaction-up-but-has-long-way-to-go-20121025-2881x.html

.... because it favoured inner-city commuters, who were less affected by the system's high base fares.

That is slightly out of context, it was in respect to the Seniors capping ..

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

26th October 2012

Re: Affordability up on LNP fare package - comment on statement

Greetings,

This is the sort of fare system that will drive patronage increases, make public transport fares balanced, equitable and sustainable for the long term.

The LNP just simply chose to follow the flawed system and move the cap from 10 to 9 journeys,   Time to face up to the fact that the fare system is off the rails and it is time to put in place fares that are socially and economically responsible.

A suggested fare system:

1.   Take a $1.50 of all go card adult fares (concession  75 cents).  Zone one fare adult peak is then $1.55

2.   Bring back 50% fares after 8 paid journeys in a week.  This means that those people who presently enjoy a free journey home on the Friday will still effectively have that as Friday will be two journeys at 50%.
People will still be able to offset their travel but importantly a fare box will still be achieved.

3.  Increase off peak discount to at least 30%.

4.  Give Seniors free travel during the off peak and weekends/holidays.  Normal concession fares in the peak.

5.  Introduce a family/group go card ticket - up to two adults and 5 children for 1.5 adult fare.  (see  Call for a group/family go card ticket on the TransLink network http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8759.0 ). An alternative is to allow children free travel who accompany a paying adult during offpeak/weekends/gazetted holidays.

6.  Give concession public transport fares to all Health Care Card holders.

7.  For 2013 and 2014, abandon the 7.5% fare increases and stick to CPI only.

8.  Withdraw paper ticketing and sell preloaded go cards on all buses, as well the usual outlets.  The present fares for paper single tickets are an obscenity.

It is important to lower the flag-fall and make relative costs between zones in better balance.   This suggested fare scheme is easily done on the present go card system, no additional major programming modules needed.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

25th October 2012

Affordability up on LNP fare package - comment on statement

Greetings,

The Minister is clutching at straws. Fare affordability is still very poor overall.  The only people who can get some relief are those doing more than 9 paid journeys in the week.  The fare box leakage is becoming a major problem.  The variation is of doubtful statistical significance, however it is still bad.


Families are struggling to get on to public transport.  No family/group ticket.

Current family/groups tickets in state capitals http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9123.0


Pensioners, particularly those who don't have high frequency services find to difficult to achieve their two journey cap.   Give Pensioners free off peak travel, concession fares during the peaks.

Current Senior fares in state capitals  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9122.0


All health care card holders don't get concession travel in Queensland, all other states and territories they do.

Health care cards and concession fares around the nation  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9124.0


We again call for an urgent review of the fares.  Further increases of 7.5% without offsets will just worsen fare affordability and drive more fare box leakage.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[Jonno]

Every person on PT and not on the road saves tax payers money ... and a lot of it!

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets;

28th October 2012

Fare box leakage massive ....

Greetings

The Minister for Transport has indicated in a statement that the number of trips on public transport increased by 600,000 trips between July - September ( http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2012/10/25/affordability-up-on-lnp-fare-package ).  That is approximately 50,000 trips per week.  In the same statement the Minister also indicated that free trips are running at around 200,000 per week.

This means that actual paid public transport trips is reduced by 150,000 per week.  This is a significant fare box leakage.  The real cost of this is approximately [$6.72 (subsidy) plus forgone average fare $2] by 150,000 per week = $1.3M dollars per week.  Which is equivalent to $65 million per year!  This around 7 times the budgeted cost.

The fare box leakage due to the flawed nine and free rort, is the main reason why the fares need an urgent overhaul.  This leakage will just continue to distort the fare price structure, disadvantaging most of the community.  The only people who are benefiting from the flawed fare system are cashed up long haul commuters.  Families, pensioners, unemployed, and those who are not able to reach the nine journey cap and rort are being punished.  This is why public transport patronage is stagnating.  We have the worlds worst fare system and one of the most expensive nationally and globally in terms of base fares.

Turning people away from public transport actually costs more in terms of congestion costs, impacts from road trauma on the health sector, worsened environmental outcomes.  It is not rocket science or advanced economics.  It is commonsense, something lacking with the fares on public transport in south-east Queensland.

Is it not time that Government and TransLink stopped the rot?

Best wishes
Robert

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

=====================================

This is the sort of fare system that will drive patronage increases, make public transport fares balanced, equitable and sustainable for the long term.

The LNP just simply chose to follow the flawed system and move the cap from 10 to 9 journeys,   Time to face up to the fact that the fare system is off the rails and it is time to put in place fares that are socially and economically responsible.

A suggested fare system:

1.   Take a $1.50 of all go card adult fares (concession  75 cents).  Zone one fare adult peak is then $1.55

2.   Bring back 50% fares after 8 paid journeys in a week.  This means that those people who presently enjoy a free journey home on the Friday will still effectively have that as Friday will be two journeys at 50%.
People will still be able to offset their travel but importantly a fare box will still be achieved.

3.  Increase off peak discount to at least 30%.

4.  Give Seniors free travel during the off peak and weekends/holidays.  Normal concession fares in the peak.

5.  Introduce a family/group go card ticket - up to two adults and 5 children for 1.5 adult fare.  (see  Call for a group/family go card ticket on the TransLink network http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8759.0 ). An alternative is to allow children free travel who accompany a paying adult during offpeak/weekends/gazetted holidays.

6.  Give concession public transport fares to all Health Care Card holders.

7.  For 2013 and 2014, abandon the 7.5% fare increases and stick to CPI only.

8.  Withdraw paper ticketing and sell preloaded go cards on all buses, as well the usual outlets.  The present fares for paper single tickets are an obscenity.

It is important to lower the flag-fall and make relative costs between zones in better balance.   This suggested fare scheme is easily done on the present go card system, no additional major programming modules needed.

[Set in train]

The fare box leakage due to the flawed nine and free rort, is the main reason why the fares need an urgent overhaul.  This leakage will just continue to distort the fare price structure, disadvantaging most of the community.  The only people who are benefiting from the flawed fare system are cashed up long haul commuters.  Families, pensioners, unemployed, and those who are not able to reach the nine journey cap and rort are being punished.  This is why public transport patronage is stagnating.  We have the worlds worst fare system and one of the most expensive nationally and globally in terms of base fares.

This is the same principle as the PBS safety net here in Aus, it is also a costly, inefficient scheme that encourages greater use of pharma (something the pharma companies love of course).

Great suggestions Bob, however I do remember the Ten Trip Savers as being the price of only 8 for 10, not 50% after 8.

[Gazza]

10 trip savers were less useful than a normal ticket, hence the lower price right?
No rail? Nothing outside of BCC?

[somebody]

10 trip savers were less useful than a normal ticket, hence the lower price right?
No rail? Nothing outside of BCC?

The lower price was surely to encourage their use and discourage cash.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

8th November 2012

Fare fix

Greetings,

More evidence of the failing fares in south east Queensland.

As reported in the Brisbane mX yesterday, since the CityHopper ferries have gone free, patronage has increased 275%. ( http://backontrack.org/docs/mx/mx_7nov12_p6.jpg ).

Cr Matic is correct "It clearly shows a demand by Brisbane residents for more public transport accessibility."  Obviously, remove high price fares and patronage booms!

The entire public transport network in south-east Queensland can be revitalised.  Swallow your pride Minister Emerson, admit you got it wrong and fix the fares.

Our petition calling for a fare review can be found here -->  http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/fare-review-for-translink-south-east-queensland-now.html

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets;

28th October 2012

Fare box leakage massive ....

Greetings

The Minister for Transport has indicated in a statement that the number of trips on public transport increased by 600,000 trips between July - September ( http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2012/10/25/affordability-up-on-lnp-fare-package ).  That is approximately 50,000 trips per week.  In the same statement the Minister also indicated that free trips are running at around 200,000 per week.

This means that actual paid public transport trips is reduced by 150,000 per week.  This is a significant fare box leakage.  The real cost of this is approximately [$6.72 (subsidy) plus forgone average fare $2] by 150,000 per week = $1.3M dollars per week.  Which is equivalent to $65 million per year!  This around 7 times the budgeted cost.

The fare box leakage due to the flawed nine and free rort, is the main reason why the fares need an urgent overhaul.  This leakage will just continue to distort the fare price structure, disadvantaging most of the community.  The only people who are benefiting from the flawed fare system are cashed up long haul commuters.  Families, pensioners, unemployed, and those who are not able to reach the nine journey cap and rort are being punished.  This is why public transport patronage is stagnating.  We have the worlds worst fare system and one of the most expensive nationally and globally in terms of base fares.

Turning people away from public transport actually costs more in terms of congestion costs, impacts from road trauma on the health sector, worsened environmental outcomes.  It is not rocket science or advanced economics.  It is commonsense, something lacking with the fares on public transport in south-east Queensland.

Is it not time that Government and TransLink stopped the rot?

Best wishes
Robert

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

=====================================

This is the sort of fare system that will drive patronage increases, make public transport fares balanced, equitable and sustainable for the long term.

The LNP just simply chose to follow the flawed system and move the cap from 10 to 9 journeys,   Time to face up to the fact that the fare system is off the rails and it is time to put in place fares that are socially and economically responsible.

A suggested fare system:

1.   Take a $1.50 of all go card adult fares (concession  75 cents).  Zone one fare adult peak is then $1.55

2.   Bring back 50% fares after 8 paid journeys in a week.  This means that those people who presently enjoy a free journey home on the Friday will still effectively have that as Friday will be two journeys at 50%.
People will still be able to offset their travel but importantly a fare box will still be achieved.

3.  Increase off peak discount to at least 30%.

4.  Give Seniors free travel during the off peak and weekends/holidays.  Normal concession fares in the peak.

5.  Introduce a family/group go card ticket - up to two adults and 5 children for 1.5 adult fare.  (see  Call for a group/family go card ticket on the TransLink network http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8759.0 ). An alternative is to allow children free travel who accompany a paying adult during offpeak/weekends/gazetted holidays.

6.  Give concession public transport fares to all Health Care Card holders.

7.  For 2013 and 2014, abandon the 7.5% fare increases and stick to CPI only.

8.  Withdraw paper ticketing and sell preloaded go cards on all buses, as well the usual outlets.  The present fares for paper single tickets are an obscenity.

It is important to lower the flag-fall and make relative costs between zones in better balance.   This suggested fare scheme is easily done on the present go card system, no additional major programming modules needed.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

8th November 2012

Re: Fare fix

Greetings,

Concerns with anti-social behaviours on the rail network, particularly Ipswich - Rosewood.

Train users fight back --> http://www.qt.com.au/news/train-users-fight-back-gangs-off-the-rails/1612232/

One of the sensible ways of improving the publics'  perception of safety on public transport is to encourage people to use the public transport around the clock.

How do you do that?

You fix the fares ....  no-brainer really ...

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

8th November 2012

Fare fix

Greetings,

More evidence of the failing fares in south east Queensland.

As reported in the Brisbane mX yesterday, since the CityHopper ferries have gone free, patronage has increased 275%. ( http://backontrack.org/docs/mx/mx_7nov12_p6.jpg ).

Cr Matic is correct "It clearly shows a demand by Brisbane residents for more public transport accessibility."  Obviously, remove high price fares and patronage booms!

The entire public transport network in south-east Queensland can be revitalised.  Swallow your pride Minister Emerson, admit you got it wrong and fix the fares.

Our petition calling for a fare review can be found here -->  http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/fare-review-for-translink-south-east-queensland-now.html

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets;

28th October 2012

Fare box leakage massive ....

Greetings

The Minister for Transport has indicated in a statement that the number of trips on public transport increased by 600,000 trips between July - September ( http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2012/10/25/affordability-up-on-lnp-fare-package ).  That is approximately 50,000 trips per week.  In the same statement the Minister also indicated that free trips are running at around 200,000 per week.

This means that actual paid public transport trips is reduced by 150,000 per week.  This is a significant fare box leakage.  The real cost of this is approximately [$6.72 (subsidy) plus forgone average fare $2] by 150,000 per week = $1.3M dollars per week.  Which is equivalent to $65 million per year!  This around 7 times the budgeted cost.

The fare box leakage due to the flawed nine and free rort, is the main reason why the fares need an urgent overhaul.  This leakage will just continue to distort the fare price structure, disadvantaging most of the community.  The only people who are benefiting from the flawed fare system are cashed up long haul commuters.  Families, pensioners, unemployed, and those who are not able to reach the nine journey cap and rort are being punished.  This is why public transport patronage is stagnating.  We have the worlds worst fare system and one of the most expensive nationally and globally in terms of base fares.

Turning people away from public transport actually costs more in terms of congestion costs, impacts from road trauma on the health sector, worsened environmental outcomes.  It is not rocket science or advanced economics.  It is commonsense, something lacking with the fares on public transport in south-east Queensland.

Is it not time that Government and TransLink stopped the rot?

Best wishes
Robert

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

=====================================

This is the sort of fare system that will drive patronage increases, make public transport fares balanced, equitable and sustainable for the long term.

The LNP just simply chose to follow the flawed system and move the cap from 10 to 9 journeys,   Time to face up to the fact that the fare system is off the rails and it is time to put in place fares that are socially and economically responsible.

A suggested fare system:

1.   Take a $1.50 of all go card adult fares (concession  75 cents).  Zone one fare adult peak is then $1.55

2.   Bring back 50% fares after 8 paid journeys in a week.  This means that those people who presently enjoy a free journey home on the Friday will still effectively have that as Friday will be two journeys at 50%.
People will still be able to offset their travel but importantly a fare box will still be achieved.

3.  Increase off peak discount to at least 30%.

4.  Give Seniors free travel during the off peak and weekends/holidays.  Normal concession fares in the peak.

5.  Introduce a family/group go card ticket - up to two adults and 5 children for 1.5 adult fare.  (see  Call for a group/family go card ticket on the TransLink network http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8759.0 ). An alternative is to allow children free travel who accompany a paying adult during offpeak/weekends/gazetted holidays.

6.  Give concession public transport fares to all Health Care Card holders.

7.  For 2013 and 2014, abandon the 7.5% fare increases and stick to CPI only.

8.  Withdraw paper ticketing and sell preloaded go cards on all buses, as well the usual outlets.  The present fares for paper single tickets are an obscenity.

It is important to lower the flag-fall and make relative costs between zones in better balance.   This suggested fare scheme is easily done on the present go card system, no additional major programming modules needed.