Our Rolls-Royce fares for a basic public transport

THE Sundstrom family had to dig deep for a day trip to and around Brisbane by public transport.

The Sundstrom family had to dig deep for a day trip to and around Brisbane by public transport. Picture: Warren Lynam

THE new Labor Government has promised a full review of public transport fares within the next 12 months, in the wake of a study that revealed fares in Queensland had gone up 114% in the past five years.

The increase is slightly less for go card users at 83% but public transport in Queensland remains substantially higher than in any other state.

Rail Back on Track, a community support group for rail and public transport, wrote to the new government requesting intervention, after the latest snapshot data confirmed fare affordability remained alarmingly bad.

Spokesman Robert Dow said a 5% decrease in November had had only a marginal effect.

"The sheer magnitude of the fare increases stagnated and caused falling patronage on public transport in SEQ," Mr Dow said.

"It is no surprise then that affordability is again the stand-out failure for the TransLink Customer Satisfaction KPIs."

Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Jackie Trad said Labor would move to address the problem.

"Within the next 12 months, we will conduct a comprehensive, expert-led review of the TransLink fare structure to establish a system that is fair, affordable, will work to improve patronage, and will deliver a sustainable fare revenue stream that will allow the network to grow," she said.

"This review will involve extensive consultation with the public, including regular commuters, infrequent travellers, leading transport experts, and key transport industry stakeholders."

Coast commuter Jeff Addison has also completed a survey on public transport fares in south-east Queensland compared to the rest of Australia and the results are staggering.

"A 5km peak journey in south-east Queensland is 97% more expensive than Perth," Mr Addison said.

"It is more expensive to use a train than a small car for up to a 40km peak journey.

"Our fares are the most expensive train fares in the world, outside of the United Kingdom and Scandinavia.

"We are also 400% more expensive than Singapore in relation to average income."

Mr Addison said the rail journey from Nambour to Brisbane could be cost effective for one person, but blew out as soon as more than one person was involved.

"For families with children, it's cost prohibitive and more beneficial to drive," Mr Addison said.

"There is no incentive for family travel as pricing is based on a single user. This is one of the unfortunate downfalls of the current system.

"To encourage people to use public transport, there has to be a cost-benefit.

"The loss of the day tripper and weekly and monthly ticket system has also had an effect," he said.

"Other states have been able to incorporate these into their smart cards (like the go card). Our state was one of the first to roll out the smart card in 2008 and now it is one of the dumbest available.

"The Opal card in New South Wales gives discounted travel for day use, ours for a set number of days (three or five) in a row.

"The daily cap on Opal is $15 across the entire network (bus, trains and ferries from as far afield as Nambour would be from Brisbane). We have no such option.

"On Sunday, travel with the Opal card is capped at $2.50.

"The whole system needs to revised and revised to make it fair so people are encouraged to use it."

Tranlinks 2014 Fares: The Awful Facts:

• In the last five years, CPI has increased by 9.5%, public transport fares have increased by 83% for Go Card users, 114% for paper ticket users.
• We have the most expensive fares in the world outside of the UK and Scandinavia
• It is more than expensive than small car running costs for up to a 40km peak journey
• A 10 km peak hour journey in SEQ is 118% more expensive than Adelaide
• A 5km peak journey is 97% more expensive than Perth
• More than 400% more expensive than Singapore in relation to average income
• No daily ticket options for adults and children

Melbourne's Myki has -

• A family ticket with two kids free, Queensland has nothing.
• Unemployment concession, Queensland has nothing
• Weekly, monthly, yearly ticket options cost nothing
• A two hour journey with Myki would cost $6.06, the same journey in SEQ would cost a $.

Sydney Opal has:

• Daily cap of adult $15, children $7 (all buses, trains and ferries) Queensland has none
• Free fares after 8 peak journeys, SEQ offers the 10th journey free after nine
• Unemployment concessions
• Sunday travel cap of $2.50 all day, SEQ has nothing like that

TransPerth WA has:

• Family day rider (seven people unlimited and only two pay full fare). SEQ has no family concession
• Dayrider Unlimted All day travel
• Unemployed concession

Adelaide Metrocard has:

• Day trip option $9.40, unlimited $28 day travel at $115
• Unemployment concessions

Darwin:

• $7 daily unlimited use cap
• $20 weekly unlimited use cap.

Originally published as Our Rolls-Royce fares for a basic public transport