Fares will be slashed from next year making it more affordable for Algester locals to travel on buses, trains, ferries or light rail, in a major overhaul of public transport costs across South East Queensland.
Member for Algester Leeanne Enoch said local public transport users will save money under the Palaszczuk Government’s new Fairer Fares Package with cheaper fares and a reduced number of travel zones.
“The new Fairer Fares Package will deliver real cost of living relief to public transport users in our community,” Ms Enoch said.
“As promised, the Palaszczuk Government is slashing fares and reducing the number of zones to make it more affordable to use public transport.
“This announcement will really help local manage hip-pocket expenses with public transport users set to save between four and 34 percent on fares under the new fare structure.
“A commuter traveling from Forest Lake Shopping Centre into Brisbane CBD could save $889.92 per year with the Fairer Fares Package.
“While public transport users travelling locally from Heathwood to Forest Lake could save $64.80 on their journeys.”
Ms Enoch said the Fairer Fares Package was the largest fare reform in a decade since the rollout of the go card and integrated ticketing.
Key changes to the SEQ fare structure from January 2017 will be:
• Fewer zones: Current 23 zones will be reduced to eight to simplify the network and encourage local travel as well as travelling further for less.
• Cheaper fares: Fares for all zones will reduce, for example: single zone fares of $3.35 cut to $3.20, (adult peak go card).
• Off-peak for longer: Morning off-peak has been extended through to 6am (from 3am) to encourage earlier travel for cheaper fares. The 20 per cent off-peak discount remains for travel between 7pm and 6am, between 8.30am and 3.30pm Monday-Friday and all day on weekends.
• Children travel free at weekends: More affordable weekend travel for families with Children aged between five and 14 (inclusive) travelling free at the weekend on a child go card.
• Incentives: Seniors and pensioners will retain the ‘One, Two FREE’ travel while the ‘Nine + FREE’ free travel incentive will change to 8 paid journeys and 50 per cent off subsequent journeys per week.
• Concessions for Qld job seekers and asylum seekers: The unemployed on Newstart and Youth Allowance and asylum seekers across Queensland will be able to access concession fares from early 2017, pending federal agency discussions.
Ms Enoch said this reform made public transport fares fairer and would encourage more people to use public transport.
“Many public transport users will save several hundred dollars each year,” Ms Enoch said.
Ms Enoch encouraged locals to have their say on the Fairer Fares website and use the fare calculator to see how much they will save from 1 January.
The Palaszczuk Government will keep fares frozen until 1 January when the new Fairer Fares Package will start to give it time to implement the Fare Review and pass on the savings via the go card ticketing system.