16 July 2009: SEQ: Airtrain fare rip off alive and well

[ozbob]

Media Release 16 July 2009

SEQ:  Airtrain fare rip off alive and well

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has again highlighted the blatant fare rip off for unsuspecting  commuters who travel as a single journey from railway stations on the TransLink network, as compared to normal fare prices.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"If you check the online fare calculator on the Airtrain web site, the cost of a single adult journey from Oxley to the Airport is $19.10, or if purchased online $17.19 (1)"

"Smart commuters do it differently. By breaking the journey into two legs, the correct fares for the first leg for example from Oxley to Central is charged, and then subsequently by either purchasing a ticket or touching with go card as a continuation of travel for the CBD to Airport leg the correct fare is charged.  The adult fare from Oxley to Central on go card is $2.72.  The Airtrain fare from the CBD is $14.50.  The correct fare go card fare is therefore $14.50 plus $2.72 for a total of $17.22 compared to the Airtrain single journey fare of $19.10.  This rip off is confirmed on the Translink journey planner as well (2)."

"The cost for a concession fare from Oxley to the Airport is $17.40 according to the Airtrain fare calculator (1).  The cost of travel if a concession go card user touches on at Oxley, and touches off at Central, then touches back on as a continuation of travel is $1.36 plus $14.50 which totals $15.86.  Why are concession holders blatantly ripped off?"

"RAIL Back On Track has pointed out this situation with fare rip offs previously (3).  Why is it that Government and TransLink are happy to allow unsuspecting commuters to be stung?"

"People using the Airtrain would be best advised to purchase a single ticket to Central, or use a go card to travel to Central. Touch off if using go card, and then buy another ticket from Central to the Airport or touch back on as a continuation of travel if using go card. The savings can be substantial."

"This ticket pricing circus is again a good example of what is wrong with public transport in south-east Queensland! It is a further disincentive for people not to use public transport.  It puts railway staff in a no-win situation when challenged by commuters as to the inequity of the fare structure."

"Why is it the Airtrain gets an additional revenue component from travel on the public Translink Citytrain network if a rail user uses a go card in a continuous journey or buys a paper continuous ticket?  This additional fare impost DOES NOT apply to connecting bus or ferry travel.  Why are only rail commuters slugged?"

"We need to encourage people to use public transport.  This fare structure for connecting rail travel to Brisbane airport is anti-public transport, another case of rhetoric not matching reality.  We call on the authorities to fix this fare anomaly as a matter of urgency."

"The sooner the Airtrain line is brought back into public ownership and integrated properly as part of the normal TransLink network in terms of fares and timetables, the sooner the road congestion issues to the airport will be over (4)."

Reference:

1.   http://www.airtrain.com.au/fare_process.php

2.   http://www.translink.com.au/

3.   http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1304.0

4.   http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=720.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

From the Satellite 29th July 2009 page 3

Commuters fork out



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