3 Aug 2008: SEQ: TransLink Transit Authority ? Customer focus?

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Media Release 3 August 2008

SEQ:  TransLink Transit Authority ? Customer focus?

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has again called for the Queensland Government and the TransLink Transit Authority  (TTA) to  reverse the policy of regular rail commuters being slugged an additional fare for travel to the 2008 Ekka (1).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?The Queensland Premier was recently quoted in the ABC News as saying ?I actually met with the new board of the new Translink authority yesterday, said to them that one of my key priorities was for Translink to have a much much better customer focus? (2).?

?The Premier is correct! Perhaps one of the reasons why the TTA needs to focus better on commuters needs is the way Translink, and now apparently the TTA, has continued to look at public transport from an exclusive economic point of view.  They have lost sight of the social and overall community benefits of good public transport policy.?

?The farcical ticketing policy for this year?s Ekka confirms that (3).?

?The past year, Government and Translink have been trumpeting the success of the integrated ticketing system for public transport in south-east Queensland.  Yet, when faced with a simple decision to allow normal zone one ticket holders integrated and seamless travel to the Ekka on rail, they fall over. They allow this on bus but not on rail. This is anti-integration ticketing policy and is a major setback for public transport. It is also discrimination against rail.?

?The justification for the additional fares this year is that it costs money to provide the services.  Of course it does.  As it costs to provide the free transport Translink and now the TTA regularly provides for ticket holders to football and rock concerts.  But, simply allowing their regular customers, ticket holders who support public transport in active way through use of go card and seasonal ticket to use their tickets for travel to the Ekka by rail they baulk.?

?The Queensland taxpayer ultimately funds the transport asset.  It would be smart to recognise this and allow commuters to use their zone one tickets to travel to the Ekka on rail as well as bus.  As it stands, we are likely to see many commuters change from rail to bus in the CBD and overload the buses.?

?Commuters who do not have tickets covering zone one would of course have to purchase a ticket or use their go card and pay a zone one fare.  This is equitable. By maximizing use of public transport to get to the Ekka there will be cost savings for the community as a whole.  Road congestion and gridlock will be less, pollution will be reduced. There will be savings to the health sector as there will likely be less road accidents. It is a no-brainer!?

?Does the TTA truly have a customer focus? Actions speak louder than rhetoric!?

References:

1.   http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1194

2.   http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/01/2321724.htm

3.   http://events.translink.com.au/db/event.php?id=58

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org