Children left behind on Bribie Island from contactless payment policy

Children have allegedly been left behind at bus stops in Moreton Bay due to a cash payment issue, with their horrified parents now demanding change to an outdated policy.

Generic image of a bus in South East Queensland. Picture: David Clark

A Translink policy introduced to stop the spread of Covid-19 has left South East Queensland children and teenagers unable to catch a ride home on the bus.

Multiple parents have come forward to The Courier-Mail with claims their children have been “left behind”, calling for a change to legislation.

In March 2020, Translink introduced a contactless payment policy, which is still in place almost three years later.

Under the policy, buses in the region can only accept prepaid payment methods, such as paper tickets or through a Go Card.

Generic image of a bus in South East Queensland. Picture: David Clark

This comes nearly 20 years after Daniel Morcombe, 13, was abducted from a bus stop on the Sunshine Coast.

Rumours of a “no child left behind” internal policy introduced in response to the 2003 abduction have been circulating online since 2012.

The Courier-Mail can confirm bus drivers are not required to carry children unless they believe failure to do so could result in significant risk to the child’s safety and wellbeing.

Mel Bradford said her daughter, Danielle Nickols, 13, was unable to get on the bus earlier this month as the bus driver allegedly refused to accept a cash payment.

Mel Bradford has said her daughter was "left behind" at a bus stop. Picture: Supplied

“My daughter’s Go Card ran out of money, so she tried to pay with cash at the park and ride and was refused a ride.”

Ms Bradford said she had to transfer money to her daughter to travel by taxi instead.

She said her daughter is now worried about catching the bus after the experience.

Marcia Flint, 55, said she witnessed three teenagers being refused entry to the bus earlier this month after one of the teens realised they forgot their Go Card.

“Three young men around 15 tried to get on along Bribie Island Road and because one didn’t have a go card he was refused entry,” she said.

“The main boy speaking was clearly shocked, but the driver was adamant.”

A Ningi resident who wished to remain anonymous said around 12 months ago her son refused entry to the bus due to his Go Card having a fault at the time.

“He was heading to Caboolture Station for a job interview,” they said.

“He was not permitted to board the bus and as he had no other transport options, he missed out on the job opportunity, causing him significant distress at the time.”

Another resident said just last week her teenager was unable to board the bus as his Go Card expired, despite having $5 cash on hand.

Translink bus in South East Queensland generic. Picture: Supplied

A Translink spokesman issued a statement to The Courier-Mail on the alleged incidents.

“The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) takes the safe travel of children very seriously and expects bus drivers operating across its network to carry children to ensure their safety,’ it read.

“There are no substantiated cases of a child being left behind due to the lack of a correct fare in the last 14 months.

“The move to cashless payments due to the pandemic has not changed our directive to bus drivers that they put the safety of customers first at all times, and any accusation that the transition in payment methods has changed the behaviour of bus drivers is completely incorrect.

“When incidents occur and are reported to Translink, a thorough investigation is conducted in partnership with the delivery partner concerned,” the spokesman said.

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