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20,000 Gold Coasters not paying bus fares every week

TAXPAYERS are missing out on vital infrastructure because bus travellers on the Gold Coast aren’t paying their fare. How much money we’re missing out on is staggering.

Bus drives through Gold Coast floodwaters

TAXPAYERS are missing out on millions of dollars because 20,000 bus travellers on Gold Coast every week aren’t paying their fare.

The Bulletin can reveal the fare evade button was pressed by Surfside Bus drivers on 1,024,261 occasions in the 12 months to June 30 this year.

This is more than double the amount of the previous year when 425,000 passengers boarded without swiping their Go card or refused to pay.

Fare evasions have more than doubled.
Fare evasions have more than doubled.

The Government says the figures reflect more policing and the loss in fares amount to $1.6 million.

Senior network officers issued 1567 warning notices and handed out 503 fines, up from 125 warnings and 193 infringement notices the year before.

But Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey, who sought the data, believes taxpayers are much bigger losers given south east Queensland lost almost $26 million last year in revenue.

Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey has been tracking fare evasion and losses for taxpayers.
Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey has been tracking fare evasion and losses for taxpayers.

“Fare dodgers are cheating us all and bus drivers are powerless to stop them for fear of attack or retribution of some kind,” Ms Stuckey said.

‘The Palaszczuk Government have dropped the ball on bus safety and education and now, we the taxpayers, are paying dearly for it.”

Ms Stuckey is seeking figures for south east Queensland revenue leakage and for a breakdown of the Coast losses.

Taxpayers have been losing out because people aren’t paying their fares. Pic by Luke Marsden.
Taxpayers have been losing out because people aren’t paying their fares. Pic by Luke Marsden.

“They’re fudging the figures. We could be spending that money on much needed infrastructure like widening the M1 to Tugun,” she said.

Using current ticket prices and rate of fare evasion, if passengers had a free ride across just a single stop it could amount to a $2.3 million loss to the taxpayer. Across the network would be $19 million.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, in her response to Ms Stuckey, said the Palaszczuk Government considered revenue protection and safety of all passengers a priority.

Police talking to a Surfside bus employee.
Police talking to a Surfside bus employee.

The Government had employed 59 senior network officers across southeast Queensland with 11 based on the Coast.

“In the 2016/17 financial year, there were 51 joint operations between TransLink and the Queensland Police Service targeting fare evasion and behavioural issues on the Gold Coast’s bus, rail and light rail services,” she said.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad says the Government is targeting fare evasion. (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)
Deputy Premier Jackie Trad says the Government is targeting fare evasion. (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)

“The continued permanent SNO presence on the Gold Coast and a focus on reporting and reducing fare evasion have contributed to higher fare evasion counts.

“The safety and security of both passengers and operational staff working on our public transport is a top priority.”

Ms Trad said the Queensland Bus Driver Safety Review identified fare conflict as one of the five key triggers of violence.

A commuter pays a bus fare on the Gold Coast.
A commuter pays a bus fare on the Gold Coast.

“That’s why, as a part of the government’s interim response to the Bus Driver Safety Review, we are taking action to roll out a public awareness campaign and trialling anti-shatter screens for Gold Coast buses,” she said.

“In the next stage of the government response, we are investigating our fare collection policy and the use of police and SNOs on the network to maximise their effectiveness.”

Screen grabs from a passenger who filmed Layni Cameron, 17, and Larna Watmough, 21, who are charged with serious assault and public nuisance over an incident on a bus in Kirra in February. It is alleged they assaulted 77-year-old Paul Buttigieg in the front of a Surfside bus as he headed home from the Tweed Heads Bowls Club. Screen grab from Channel 9.
Screen grabs from a passenger who filmed Layni Cameron, 17, and Larna Watmough, 21, who are charged with serious assault and public nuisance over an incident on a bus in Kirra in February. It is alleged they assaulted 77-year-old Paul Buttigieg in the front of a Surfside bus as he headed home from the Tweed Heads Bowls Club. Screen grab from Channel 9.

Students have been targeted in a bid to prevent fare evasion and improve behaviour on the buses.

The review followed the shocking attack on Brisbane bus driver Manmeet Alisher who was killed when he was set alight while behind the wheel in October last year.

Surfside Buslines declined to comment yesterday but public transport bosses in February this year called for harsher penalties after youths tossed rocks at buses and drivers.

A month earlier a 16-year-old was detained by police after a Gold Coast bus driver was allegedly bashed for his cash tin.

Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/crime-court/but-fare-evaders-top-one-million-as-drivers-fear-approaching-bludgers/news-story/5630b111d05dcbcce7455e53307c661d