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TransLink fares to rise

TransLink’s fare increases in January will be offset with a Go Card deal aimed at free weekend travel

By David Goeldner | October 24, 2011

Public transport fares will rise across south-east Queensland from January 2 by 15 percent across all TransLink services, but to ease the ‘pain’, a Go Card deal will be introduced to offset the cost of weekend travel.

Queensland Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk says a 10-journey-then-free weekly incentive for all Go Card users, along with an increase in off-peak discounts would come into effect when fares increase in January.

“These changes will mean if you travel to and from work using your Go Card during the week, you can travel for free on the weekend,” Palaszczuk says.

“The off-peak fare discount means that if you travel between 9am and 3:30pm or after 7:00pm on weekdays, or all day on weekends, not only will you be able to take advantage of the 20 per cent off-peak discount, you’ll get free travel once you reach the limit,” she says.

Queensland’s Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser is behind the Go Card incentive, explaining that the ten-journey cap means after the tenth trip taken during a working week, free travel is available across the following weekend.

“That means a Monday to Friday commuter can travel free all weekend across the network,” he says.

Fraser says the 20 percent off peak discount will encourage people to use available seats and help smooth peaks in commuter demand.

“This will give people even more of an incentive to travel outside of the peak period and take advantage of the growing number of high-frequency bus, train and ferry services,” he says.

“We want to reward people who frequently use public transport.”

Palaszczuk says public transport was now even more cost-effective than running a car to work every day.

“For example, someone travelling from Mt Gravatt to the (Brisbane) City would save $6.40 each week by switching from peak to off-peak, and receive free trips once they’ve made their 10 trips a week,” she says.

TransLink has also decided to keep paper tickets for occasional public transport users after the fare increases in January.

However, Go Card pricing will remain at 30 percent cheaper than paper tickets.

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