Historical snapshot - July 2003

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Transport/Main Roads
The Honourable Stephen Bredhauer

Friday, July 18, 2003

Cutting edge transport ticketing for South-East Queensland

South-East Queensland commuters are poised to become the first in Australia to use smartcard technology to transfer between integrated bus, train and ferry services, Transport and Main Roads Minister Steve Bredhauer today.

Mr Bredhauer - who was officiating at the signing of a $130 million contract after today's Budget Estimate Hearings at State Parliament - said the Smart State initiative would see commuters at the forefront of transport ticketing nationally.

He said the 12-year contract between the Government and Cubic Transportation Systems would incorporate the design, building and operation of the Smart State's new integrated ticketing system using cutting edge technology not currently in use in Australia.

Mr Bredhauer said: "With today's announcement, the Beattie Government is well on the way to achieving what Queensland Governments have tried to do for almost four decades."

"From July 1 next year, all operators will charge the same fares and concessions using the same set of ticketing products across one of the biggest integrated transit systems in the world - north to Noosa, south to Coolangatta, and west to Helidon.

"The new smartcard system will see many fares reduced and will complement, what is in essence, a total overhaul of public transport, to deliver a fully integrated system with smartcard integrated ticketing as its centrepiece."

Mr Bredhauer said he was delighted with Cubic's decision to establish a key regional presence in Brisbane, involving the relocation of staff from Sydney and San Diego, and 40 to 50 new high-tech jobs for Queenslanders.

"Cubic is a world leader in smartcard ticketing systems, and they are very welcome in the Smart State," Mr Bredhauer said.

"The company has prime responsibility for smartcard systems in Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, and London and supplies equipment to smartcard systems in Singapore, Hong Kong, and San Francisco.

"In Queensland, the smartcard will complement a simple zonal system integrating bus, train and ferry services across the state-of-the-art system making public transport easier for everyone to access and understand," he said.

"Unlike other states where integrated ticketing has been introduced, in Queensland we are not simply overlaying the new ticketing system on top of an existing transit system.

"With work now underway, we are developing an entirely new network that will see Queensland Transport centrally planning all major routes and services for 18 public transport operators, therefore ensuring services with better connections and minimum waiting times.

"By developing a system that sees the services of different operators connect, based on overseas experience, we can expect a significant increase in public transport use in South-East Queensland.

Mr Bredhauer said once smartcards were introduced, passengers travelling on the new system will simply tag on and off using their smartcards at over 8000 readers on buses and City Cats, or at South East Queensland's railway stations.

"Passengers will no longer need to fumble in their pockets for loose change or wait for their ticket to be validated - in fact, they won't even need to remove their cards from their purses or wallets, making boarding times faster and reducing overall trip times," Mr Bredhauer said.

Mr Bredhauer said commuters would be able to load their cards and check their balances by using the internet, and at major rail stations and other agents at many convenient locations across south-east Queensland.

He said the smartcard would initially be introduced in parallel with a paper-based ticketing system as the smartcard was rolled out, and commuters became accustomed to its use.

http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=20730