Queensland Premier Steven Miles has revealed the state’s 50 cent public transport fares are here to stay regardless of the outcome of the upcoming state election, such has been the positive response to the trial.
The trial launched in August and was initially meant to span for six months. As a result of the decrease in cost, public transport levels in the state have surged back to above pre-COVID levels for the first time since the pandemic.
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Petitions to keep the trial indefinitely had been launched just days after its start and gained thousands of signatures in just a few hours.
“We will make 50 cent fares permanent,” the Premier said on social media platform X.
“The results show Queenslanders all over the state are on board with 50c fares.
“Public transport trips are up 19 per cent compared to the same time last year, and well above pre-COVID levels. It’s a huge cost of living saving and taking more cars off the roads is good news for every Queenslander.”
The 50 cent fare applies to all Translink public transport services, including bus, train, tram, on demand transport and ferry across the state.
Opposition leader David Crisafulli says the public’s demand for cheap and reliable public transport services makes the retention of the fares a no-brainer should he be elected.
“We want to give Queenslanders certainty that we’ve got a plan to make sure we can deliver a better public transport system,” Crisafulli says.
“People who like the opportunity to use affordable public transport want to know it’s reliable and there are adequate routes, and that’s what our plan will do, to make sure all of Queensland can benefit from that.
“Not only will we lock in 50 cent fares, [but] we’ve got a plan to make sure we increase frequency, reliability and safety for regional Queensland and those outer-Brisbane areas.”
The 19 per cent increase to public transport journeys across the state are being propped up by massive increases in Mackay (30 per cent) and The Whitsundays (21 per cent), whilebregions like Cairns (14.4 per cent), Bundaberg (11.6 per cent) and Townsville and Magnetic Island (9.4 per cent) have also seen marked increases in usage.
“The best thing about this initiative is it saves Queenslanders more than it costs government because of all those extra people using public transport,” Miles continues.
“All around, I’m really excited about 50 cent fares, and I really want the chance to make them permanent.”
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