TransLink’s GoCard is not working for commuters to qualify them for weekly frequent-user discounts in place of seasonal train and bus tickets. The loss of monthly and annual tickets has angered commuters and on Thursday there was a boycott of public transport to protest the fare hikes.
People travelling into Brisbane have seen some dramatic jumps in their annual transport bills and by 2014 these will be much higher still.
[What are the figures for the Ferny Grove line to the CBD?] The figures t commute from zone 16 for a year have jumped from $3224.60 to $5803.20 this year and will go to $8834.80 by 2012 a 274% increase on 2009.
Commuters want a fair fare structure for the GoCard equal to weekly monthly six-monthly or 12-monthly season ticket caps. We want rolling discounts and off-peak fares for pre-7am boarders. Many regular rail commuters used to use monthly 3-monthly 6-monthly and yearly tickets not only for their long-haul rail commutes but for additional bonus journeys at weekends and after hours.
TransLink’s approach to managing public transport is driving people off trains and back on to the roads.
There is also an element of false promotion of the frequent user discounts to commuters since commuters who made 2 journeys a day for 5 days involving multiple transfers were unlikely to be eligible for a discount.
A journey may consist of up to three transfers. The discount policy required customers to take ’10 journeys’ in a week before the 50% discount fares took effect.