Overview
It's not often we're told our public transport costs are going to decrease. In fact, this will be the first time it has ever happened in Queensland at all. From November 3 this year, the state government will use its $30 million savings from the abolished carbon tax to drop the cost of all trains, buses and ferries by five per cent.
The decision to drop public transport costs comes as a result of a government survey of 22,000 people. When asked whether they would prefer the money to fund fare cuts or create additional services, 74 per cent of participants opted for the cuts. With the changes in place peak Zone 1 travel will cost $3.35 instead of $3.53, and off-peak will be $2.69 from $2.83. However those with long commutes will see the biggest savings. Those regularly travelling from the Gold Coast to Brisbane's CBD will save nearly $300 per year.
"Under the LNP, families now have more money in their back pocket, compared to Labor's record of ongoing 15 per cent fare hikes," Premier Campbell Newman told the ABC.
The new prices will be frozen for the entirety of 2015, but some remain sceptical of the sustainability of the changes. The state Opposition claim the LNP plan to privatise the public transport network in the long term and ultimately commuters will be suffering much worse. Similar concerns have been echoed by those in public transport advocacy groups.
While we're a big fan of cheaper public transport, it's also important to remember where that money came from. Following the repeal of the carbon tax, 30,000 people are currently marching the city streets for new action on climate change, and the UN Climate Summit is about to go ahead in New York without Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Will we still get cheap trains if the tracks warp from global warming?
With the new prices to go ahead from November 3, here's how our major cities full-priced fares compare:
Brisbane GoCard
Zone 1: $3.35 peak, $2.69 off-peak
Zone 2: $3.93 peak, $3.15 off-peak
Melbourne Myki
2 hour Zone 1: $3.58
2 hour Zone 2: $2.48
2 hour Zone 1 and 2: $6.06
Sydney Opal
Zone 1: $3.30 peak, $2.31 off-peak
Zone 2: $4.10 peak, $2.87 off-peak
Via Brisbane Times and ABC. Photo credits: AlanFisher Imagery and wiccked via photopin cc