Article: Opposition's Tim Nicholls warns of ticket trouble

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail  click here!

Opposition's Tim Nicholls warns of ticket trouble

Opposition's Tim Nicholls warns of ticket trouble
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Martin Philip

February 10, 2008 11:00pm

BUS and ferry commuters may soon be forced to buy weekly and monthly tickets from train stations, the opposition says.
Shadow Transport spokesman Tim Nicholls said commuters would be inconvenienced because they would not be able to get certain tickets on buses and ferries. Commuters would instead have to go out of their way to buy their tickets, he said.

Bus and ferry passengers already find it hard to buy weekly and monthly tickets because TransLink ticketing machines only sell single and daily tickets, Nicholls said.

Instead of making the process easier, this Labor Government is now forcing bus and ferry commuters to make another trip to a train station to buy a bus ticket.

Imagine the queues if every commuter wanting to buy a weekly or monthly ticket has to buy it from a station.

However Transport Minister John Mickel has dismissed the claims by Nicholls, with a spokesperson saying commuters can also buy tickets from newsagents.

The Opposition claims come amid revelations that Smartcard contractor Cubic originally wanted to abolish all paper ticketing on buses, trains and ferries in favour of electronic fares.

It was only the popularity of paper tickets that forced the State Government to cancel the secret plan to make fares electronic in 2005.

[Derwan]

Considering the new machines accept notes and EFTPOS, one wonders why they cannot issue weeklies.

I have a feeling that this is in line with the original plan to scrap dailies, weeklies and monthlies - and had me believing that that was the longer-term plan all along.

[david]

I don't understand what all the fuss is about. I thought that you could only buy weeklies and monthlies (in brisbane) at train stations and at very few newsagents, mainly in the city  . Correct me if i'm wrong please...

[ozbob]

As I understand it QR ticket agents (see --> http://www.translink.com.au/qt/translin.nsf/index/ti_tickets_qr )

were notified that there ticket selling contracts may not be continued.

Additionally the many newsagents that presently sell 10 trippers will not be able to sell any tickets once the 10 trippers are finally withdrawn. (see --> http://www.translink.com.au/qt/translin.nsf/index/ti_tickets_bt a long list)  So in part, the impost is that former 10 trippers and those used to buying from the QR agents will no longer have the easy access to ticketing they once had.  Also BT buses do not sell weekly tickets (private operators do)  see --> http://www.translink.com.au/qt/translin.nsf/index/ti_tickets_purchase  for the present situation.

I think the Opposition has been approached by affected commuters and newsagents, hence their concern.  And a valid one too IMHO.

Regards
Ozbob