Opposition Statement: No tickets for Pre-paid bus routes

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

18 February 2008

No tickets for Pre-paid bus routes

BRISBANE commuters will be forced to convert to Go Card or miss the bus,
under the State Labor Government's plans to introduce pre-paid ticketing
on select bus routes and stations.

There are currently no TransLink ticketing machines at Brisbane busways.

Commuters instead have to buy their tickets from select ticket sellers,
QR stations, or from bus drivers.

Shadow Minister for Transport Tim Nicholls said while the idea of
introducing pre-paid bus services had merit, the State Government should
first provide commuters with the necessary infrastructure to buy
tickets.

"Although pre-paid buses will cut down the time spent processing
tickets, there aren't enough options available for commuters to buy
their tickets," Mr Nicholls said.

"It is ridiculous that no Brisbane busway is fitted with ticketing
machines."

"If this Government was serious about cutting the traveling times of
Brisbane buses, then they should be installing ticketing machines at bus
stations," he said.

Instead the State Government is forcing commuters to use Go Card by
making it harder to buy paper tickets.

Mr Nicholls said the State Government's plan to withdraw paper tickets
from sale at QR ticket agencies would make it even harder for commuters
to purchase tickets.

"The Minister can't cut the number of agents contracted to sell tickets
and then tell commuters they'll have to pre-purchase tickets to catch
the bus," he said.

"The State Government has already abolished the popular ten trip saver
tickets and halved the number of newsagents contracted by TransLink. "

QR ticketing agents, responsible for the sale of weekly and monthly
tickets, have been told their contracts will be terminated.

"The State Government can't keep cutting the quality of public transport
services to make people use the Go Card.  Queensland commuters deserve
better," Mr Nicholls said.

Pre-paid services will begin on the 18th February for Route 137, and for
all passengers catching a bus from platform 2 at the Cultural Centre
Busway station.