Article: Petition for extra go card top-up facilities ...

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Petition for extra go card top-up facilities to improve access and safety of bus commuters

Petition for extra go card top-up facilities to improve access and safety of bus commuters

    by: Marnie Ludgate, North-West News
    From: Quest Newspapers
    January 30, 2013 12:00AM

A campaign has been launched to increase the number of go card top-up facilities in the northwest and reverse the imbalance in available infrastructure for bus commuters.

Ferny Grove newsagency owner Pradip Kochhar is behind an e-petition for Translink to offer two extra go card top-up machines at newsagents at Ferny Hills News Casket at McGinn Rd in Ferny Grove Arana Hills NewsXpress at Kmart Plaza.

There are top-up machines at each of the eight stations along the Ferny Grove train line between Alderley and Ferny Grove.

However, there are only five outlets outside train stations to top up go cards.

Translink provides options to top-up go cards automatically, online or on the phone and onboard buses outside Brisbane City Council.

Mr Kochhar said the availability of top-up facilities disadvantaged bus commuters compared to train users, particularly students and the elderly, who might not have ready access to auto top-up online or transport to train stations.

He said he fielded daily requests from public transport users for top-up facilities at his McGinn Rd newsagency and said customers were frustrated by the lack of options.

Member for Ferny Grove Dale Shuttleworth, who has sponsored the online petition, said the current system caters almost exclusively for train commuters.

However, he said this inconvenienced the elderly, students and young families.

"If the petition is successful, the potential benefits to the community, not only in terms of convenience, but also safety will be immense," Mr Shuttleworth said.

A spokesman for the Transport Minister Scott Emerson said there were "significant costs" to install new ticketing facilities at newsagents or other retail outlets.

Many newsagencies sell $20 prepaid go cards but only $15 can be spent on transportation, as the card costs $5, unless it is later refunded.

Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said it would be beneficial for Translink to offer a small discount to encourage people to automatically top up or arrange for major retailers to sell go card recharge vouchers, like they do for mobile phones.

To sign the petition visit www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/e-petition?PetNum=2043 or NewsXpress Arana Hills, Ferny Grove Newsagency, Oasis Caf Ferny Grove, Arana Hills PCYC or the Ferny Grove electorate office, Taylors Seafood, Ferny Grove. The petition closes March 4.