Qld election 2020: Greens promise free public transport statewide
The Greens will announce a generous plan that will save Queenslanders hundreds of millions of dollars – if the party wins the balance of power at next month’s state election.
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Public transport would be free for all in Queensland under a new proposal the Greens will push for if they clinch the balance of power at next month’s state election.
The minor party will today unveil a plan worth hundreds of millions of dollars to abolish public transport fares across the state, in a move they say will cut congestion and take pressure off families.
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Greens state MP Michael Berkman said it would provide a massive economic stimulus at a time when Queensland’s economy desperately needed it.
“Right now it costs more for a family to travel (on public transport) into the City than it does to drive, and that’s driving massive increases in traffic congestion,” he said.
“Public transport is an essential service that everyone should be able to access, regardless of their ability to pay.”
The party says it would pay for the plan by scrapping the southeast public transport network’s new ticketing system and reducing spending on road-widening projects as well as cutting costs associated with fare evasion.
They would also slap a levy on property developers to fund the plan.
The Greens have also backed in plans to link the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Brisbane and Toowoomba with fast rail, saying it would significantly reduce congestion on the M1.
“Based on figures released by the South East Queensland Council of Mayors, fast rail could halve travel times between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and Ipswich and the Sunshine Coast,” Mr Berkman said.