Public transport fares in Queensland will be temporarily slashed to 50 cents in an effort to alleviate congested roads and provide cost of living relief.
Kicking off from August 5, the six-month trial will apply for all public transport regardless of distance.
Queensland premier Steven Miles says existing commuters stand to save thousands of dollars.
“For someone catching the train to work in Brisbane from here in Mango Hill, it costs up to $96 a week,” Miles says.
“And if you drive to work, you’re stuck in peak hour traffic every day and paying a lot more than that.
“I expect this will save Queenslander’s thousands of dollars over six months, and encourage more people to catch our fast, frequent and 50 cent public transport.”
The Queensland government says public transport use has never returned to pre-Covid levels, which has contributed to congestion on roads and caused a headache for commuters.
Significantly reducing the cost barrier to public transport could encourage more people to leave the car at home, leading to a reduction in road congestion.
A single bus will see 50 cars off the road while a train will take 600 cars off the road.
“Encouraging more Queenslanders to jump on a bus or train to get to work or school will help bust congestion,” Miles says.
Transport minister Bart Mellish says he hopes the initiative will also provide an opportunity for active transport.
“Enjoy a walk to the closet bus stop with your family and friends as you head out to school sporting activities, visiting grandparents, or a lovely Sunday picnic,” Mellish says.
“We’ve got a growing state with more and more cars on our roads every day.
“This initiative is a great way to encourage more people to use public transport.”
Translink runs a hefty range of services, starting with trains, buses, ferries and trams in south-east Queensland.
Customers will still need to ‘tap on’ and ‘tap off’ for their journey using Smart Ticketing, a go card, or by purchasing a paper ticket, in order to access the reduced fare.
A list of the Translink services in your region can be found online.