Article: No free rides from Labor

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No free rides from Labor

No free rides from Labor
Tony Moore | March 19, 2009 - 5:02AM

The ALP will not match the LNP's promise to offer free rail trips for go card customers travelling to and from the CBD before 7am or after 6pm.

In December the LNP promised its free early bird travel scheme as a $34 million section of its $414 million public transport policy.

Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said the LNP would make rail travel fee for go card customers who touched off before 7am in the CBD, or who touched on in the CBD between 6pm and 7pm.

"The LNP's free travel plan will apply to 38 existing train services - 20 in the morning and 18 in the afternoon," he said in December.

"And by linking the program to go card use, we can ensure the free rail travel facility is used one way only."

At the time Victoria was already six months into a similar free train scheme to encourage commuters out of the standard peak periods.

On December 3, 2008, Transport Minister John Mickel criticised the LNP policy, saying it could only be financed by fare increases or cuts to services.

On the eve of Saturday's state election, Mr Mickel ruled out introducing a similar scheme on Brisbane's trains.

Queensland Transport believes more trains - rather than free off-peak trips to spread the commuter load - are needed before the scheme can be viable.

"Providing additional services and better frequency and reliability of rail services in pre-peak and post-peak times are considered better ways of increasing patronage than offering free travel," a spokesman said.

"That's the approach the Government is giving priority to."

The State Government has added extra services to the Ipswich and Caboolture lines in the past month.

"The bigger question here, though, is whether Mr Springborg will commit to continue with the Government's program to tackle overcrowding by delivering 102 new three-carriage trains and thereby increase the train fleet by 70 per cent or around 23,000 extra seats."

Last night a spokesman for Mr Springborg said the train contract would go ahead.

"We will work to get it done sooner than later," he said.

Translink said the costs of Melbourne's early commuter service outweighed the advantages, however no details were provided.

Rail commuter lobby group Rail: Back on Track said it was disappointed the ALP had not matched the LNP's promise.

Spokesman Robert Dow said the ALP had added nothing to help rail commuters in the lead-up to the state election, apart from some park and ride announcements which had been matched by the LNP.

"We think the LNP's free early-bird travel scheme is a good initiative because it does demonstrate the potential to use the go card as a congestion management tool," Mr Dow said.

Rail: Back on Track would prefer the scheme to be expanded to buses and ferries as well, suggesting an off-peak discount scheme be introduced.

"For example, if people commence a journey before 6.30am, after 9am, before 3.30pm and after 7pm, give them an off -peak discount similar to the paper ticketing already has."