Parliament Ministerial Statement: Go Card

[ozbob]

From Hansard

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/legislativeAssembly/hansard/documents/2009.pdf/2009_05_20_DAILY.pdf

Go Card

Hon. RG NOLAN (Ipswich?ALP) (Minister for Transport) (9.58 am): Queensland faces three key challenges?climate change, peak oil and continuing high levels of population growth?and we are facing these challenges in the toughest economic climate in generations. The common solution to these challenges is to get Queenslanders relying more on public transport. So I am pleased to announce today that South-East Queensland commuters have created transport records as more and more commuters jump on board public transport each and every day.

In March, go card use topped more thanone million trips every week in yet another milestone for the ground breaking technology. Five million go card trips were made in the month of March. More than 30 million trips have been made on the go card so far, as go card trips now make up about 29 per cent of all trips taken across the TransLink network. This is a great result given that TransLink finished rolling out the system last June?less than a year ago, as you would well know, Mr Speaker. South-East Queensland is just the second Australian public transport system to successfully roll out smart card technology, and it is by far the largest.

The go card continues to surpass all of our expectations and targets. Go card users do not have to worry about finding spare change or queuing for paper tickets. Another benefit is that TransLink?s planners and operators are able to provide better services and better planning. Also, patronage levels continue to soar. In March, total trips topped more than $17.4 million on public transport across the TransLink network?the highest ever. In February, the Queensland government rolled out a major bus and rail package across the network that provided capacity for another 79,000 commuters each week. The package included a record $6.8 million bus enhancement package for Brisbane.

South-East Queenslanders are on track to make about 185 million trips this financial year on TransLink network buses, trains and ferries. People are turning to public transport for three key reasons: it saves money, it is good for the environment and it is very convenient. This is a great example of the Queensland government.

[Fridge]

I would of thought that 29% of trips would be impressive after the first 6 months, not 18 months.

[Fares_Fair]

It's great that public transport use is burgeoning, but the Government must ensure that
infrastructure and future works allows for this growth soon - not in 2026.

The fact that almost 3/4s of all commuters don't use it says volumes about the card.
Of the projected 185,000,000 trips this financial year,
53,650,000 will be via Gocard and
131,350,000 will be by paper-tickets or season tickets or cash. 

Hardly a success story yet ...

Get the capped Weekly, Monthly, 3, 6 or 12 Month equivalent pricing structure and uptake will increase.
Get the equipment failure and problems on the buses rectified and uptake will increase.
Get the refunds process for equipment failure streamlined and punctual (and automatic) and uptake will increase.

Until the Government addresses these issues seriously, paper-tickets and other methods will thrive.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.