Queensland’s 50 cent public transport fare trial will be extended permanently, after both major parties committed to the policy if they win the upcoming state election.
Premier Steven Miles and Liberal-National Opposition Leader David Crisafulli both announced the election promise over the weekend.
Commuters on buses, trains, ferries, and trams pay the flat fee regardless of the distance.
The trial began last month and was originally scheduled to run until February next year.
Queensland’s 50 cent public transport fare trial
The State Government called the trial a “huge success”, citing record numbers of public transport use, which had fallen by 13% since the pandemic.
There were more than four million trips in the first week of the trial.
Miles said the policy “saves Queenslanders more than it costs the Government.”
Opposition
The Liberal-National Party opposition criticised the trial’s timing, saying Queenslanders would be “cynical” to see it rolled out before an election.
However, this weekend, Crisafulli matched the Premier’s election promise. He added that he wanted to improve the quality of public transport in the state.
“People like the opportunity to use affordable public transport, they just want to know it’s reliable and that there are adequate routes,“ he said.
