Ministerial Statement: Free travel for war veterans on Anzac Day

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Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan
23/04/2010

Free travel for war veterans on Anzac Day

War veterans attending dawn services across South East Queensland on Anzac Day can travel for free on TransLink public transport services.

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said free travel would be offered on all TransLink services to veterans in uniform or wearing their service medals on Anzac Day (Sunday, April 25).

"This is a small way for us to thank the men and women of our armed services," Ms Nolan said.

"Free transport will also be available spouses who are accompanying veterans in uniform or wearing their service medals. Family members wearing the medals of servicemen and women, who are marching on behalf of the veteran, will also be entitled to the free travel offer.

"Members of the Girls Brigade and Boys Brigade who are in full uniform and are official banner carriers are also entitled to free travel.

"We welcome the opportunity to support our veterans and defence personnel on what is an important day of remembrance and reflection for all Australians."

Ms Nolan said QR and Brisbane Transport would operate extra train and bus services for people wanting to attend the 4am dawn service at Anzac Square in the Brisbane CBD.

There will be six extra train services on the Nambour/Caboolture, Gold Coast, Rosewood, Cleveland, Shorncliffe and Ferny Grove lines and 29 extra bus services on routes 103, 111, 130, 140, 150, 199, 200, 333, 345, 385 and 444 for people travelling to the dawn service. Check the TransLink website for more details.

Some regular bus services will be disrupted due to road closures for Anzac Day events in the Brisbane CBD and areas throughout South East Queensland. More details are available on the 'service updates' section of the TransLink website.

NightLink services will run as normal on Saturday night, however there will be no extra services late Sunday night. CityGlider services will run as timetabled from 5.30am to until 11.30pm Sunday to Thursday and 24 hours on Friday and Saturday nights.

Ms Nolan said that in addition to these free train, bus and ferry journeys in South East Queensland, the $2 early morning taxi surcharge would also be waived on Anzac Day so that people attending Dawn Services throughout the state would not have to pay the extra levy.

"The Dawn Service is one of the most solemn and moving ceremonies on our national calendar and it is appropriate that people attending those services - some of them quite elderly - are not caught up in a surcharge that normally applies to nightclub patrons," Ms Nolan said.

"The early morning surcharge, which is $2 charged on top of any fare, was introduced to provide an added incentive for drivers to work that shift.

"While this is an important measure that the State Government and the taxi industry have introduced to ensure enough cabs are on the roads to meet demand in those early hours, we do not feel it is appropriate to charge this extra amount on Anzac Day."

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