Have 50¢ fares reduced traffic in Brisbane? Yes and no

Traffic has decreased on Brisbane’s main roads following the introduction of 50¢ fares – but not by much.

New data obtained by Brisbane Times reveals a minor drop in the first month of the initiative, followed by a partial rebound four weeks later.

In the first month, motorway traffic fell 1.3 per cent, and arterial road traffic fell 0.8 per cent.

Buses queue at Mater Hill station on the first day of 50c fares in Brisbane.Credit: Courtney Kruk

The following month, motorway use went back up 0.5 per cent, while arterial road traffic dropped a further 2 per cent.

“It went down and then up a little bit – it’s the rebound effect,” said Abraham Leung, industry research fellow at Advance Queensland.

“At the beginning, maybe people gave it a go and used public transport, but those people realised it’s not for them.

“The novelty, I think, is over.”

The Department of Transport and Main Roads said some of the decreases could be accounted for by normal fluctuations.

“Network-wide results were within range of variance, except Brisbane City Council-controlled roads, which saw a decrease just below normal range,” a spokesperson said.

Toll operator Transurban had earlier reported that traffic on its Brisbane bridges and motorways rose 1.3 per cent in the September quarter. Over the three months, car traffic increased by 0.9 per cent and large vehicle traffic by 2.9 per cent, with an increase in freight movements nullifying any decline in commuter traffic.

When 50¢ fares were introduced by the former Labor government, it was for a six-month trial period that then-premier Steven Miles said would enable further analysis of Brisbane roads and public transport issues.

Miles then made the cheaper fares permanent, a commitment matched by LNP leader David Crisafulli and his incoming government.

Leung suggested cheaper fares were not well-targeted, and funds would be better spent improving the frequency and coverage of public transport routes.

“Now the election is over, we can talk more freely,” he said.

“[The introduction of 50¢ fares] was pretty obviously to sandbag the inner-city seats, and it looks like that was a success.

“I would say politicians should do some more thought beforehand, and do some research.

“I would [say] we need better services. Just focusing on pricing is not enough. I think we should look at the bigger picture.”

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