Qld Opposition media release: Students' up to 30% worse off under Smartcard plan

[ozbob]

Media Release

Tim Nicholls MP
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party
Shadow Minister for Transport, Traffic Management,
Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations   
Member for Clayfield            


Students' up to 30% worse off under Smartcard plans

25 January 2008

Queensland students will be forced to pay up to 30 percent more under the State Government's Smartcard plan, thanks to the withdrawal of the popular ten trip discount tickets.

Under the Smartcard discount scheme, students have to take six trips in one week before being eligible for a discount on any subsequent journeys.  Ten trip tickets were a permanent discount.

Shadow Minister for Transport Tim Nicholls said the Government had failed to provide students with a discount scheme flexible enough to suit their schedules.

"The Government's 'Go Card' discount scheme fails to consider that not all students catch the bus to and from school or uni every day," he said.

"Things like before and after school activities, part-time jobs and lifts from friends and family, all disrupt the Government's strict discount plan.

"They haven't even considered just how many public holidays and student free days will disrupt the discount scheme.  In the school term alone there are three weeks that are disrupted by holidays."

Mr Nicholls said the Smartcard system was not student or parent friendly, lacking the ease of the popular ten trip tickets.

"There are currently no contingency plans for when the Smartcard machines go down - like they did earlier this month," he said.

"So far Smartcard users who have been unable to touch on or off have simply been advised they'll have to either revert to the old paper tickets or travel for free.

"It's simply not practical to expect children travelling to and from school to have spare change on them in case their card doesn't work."

Students who fail to touch off properly will also be charged a penalty fee of $2.50 for train trips and $1.50 for bus and ferry journeys.

"The State Government needs to ensure that no Queenslanders will be worse off under the Go Card ticketing system," Mr Nicholls said.

[ozbob]

The media release from Mr Nicholls further highlights what a mess this FU (frequent user) fare scheme is and more of the perverse effects on commuters!

Well done Mr Nicholls!