Common ticketing for public transport in Tasmania was first pledged in 2018

A long-running plan to overhaul Tasmania’s public transport ticketing system has blown out in time and costs, leading one MP to slam the process. LATEST >>

Derwent Ferries. Ferry leaves the eastern shore. Picture: Richard Jupe

A bid to implement common ticketing for Tasmanian public transport has been labelled a “farce” due to a fourfold increase in costs and lengthy timeline.

The changes will provide for one ticketing system across all Tasmania’s bus providers and River Derwent passenger ferries.

The common ticketing policy has been floating around since 2018 and was a 2021 Liberal election promise.

It was first funded in the 2018/19 budget to the tune of $7.5m.

The amount has grown to $28.1m.

The project was initially being managed by Metro Tasmania.

Under Metro’s 2022-2025 corporate plan, common ticketing was to be rolled out in 2023/24. The project has now been transferred to the Department of State Growth.

“The government has made an in-principle decision to work with another Australian jurisdiction and its ticketing provider to progress this initiative, which will provide a contemporary, integrated ticketing solution that allows passengers to use general access public transport services on a single system,” a State Growth spokesman said.

“The ticketing system will deliver not only a seamless journey, but modern payment methods, real-time information and data-driven network improvements. Several commercial matters in this significant investment is in the final stages of negotiation between the Department of State Growth and the vendor.”

David O'Byrne member for Franklin. Question time in the Tasmanian parliament. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Franklin MP David O’Byrne said the common ticketing policy was a “farce”.

“The government’s promised replacement to the antiquated Greencard system announced in 2018 is still no closer to completion, despite the cost quadrupling and a last-minute decision to outsource the project to another jurisdiction,” Mr O‘Byrne said.

“After five years and several funding announcements, we now discover that the project isn’t expected to be delivered until 2027.

“It appears as though this project is stuck in the underground bus mall … This is yet another transport failure of this government. Thousands of bus services have been cancelled since the beginning of the year, with tens or hundreds of services being cancelled each day.”

Bus services continue to be cancelled in Hobart daily due to an ongoing driver shortage.

There were 46 services cancelled in Hobart on Wednesday.