Queensland Premier Steven Miles said Labor’s pre-election $150 million cash splash to cut public transport fares to 50 cents is designed to cut down on congestion.

“Public transport usage has never returned to the pre-COVID levels and that’s one of the things contributing to congestion, particularly in the south-east,” Miles said on Sunday.

“And so we’re hoping this trial of 50 cent fares will give people a reason to rethink their habits or go back to public transport.”

The measure will run for six months, starting from August 5 (about two months before the election).

“The advice we received was that it was important to give the operators the time they needed to get all the contracts and programming to make sure it started as widely as possible,” Miles said.