Fares should be scrapped on public transport in Canberra for six weeks and the regular timetable reinstated, the Canberra Liberals have said, in a move to help residents with the cost of living and help the environment by reducing transport emissions.
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The opposition's spokesman on transport, Mark Parton, will on Wednesday move a motion in the Legislative Assembly calling on the ACT government to make bus and light-rail travel free for six weeks and return to the pre-pandemic timetable.
Mr Parton said the government needed to move away from its interim timetable to restore public confidence in the transport network at a time rising petrol prices mean people are financially stretched.
"Those most affected by rising fuel prices are Canberrans already experiencing cost of living pressures, in particular low income earners," Mr Parton said.
"There is no doubt under this Labor-Greens government many Canberrans are doing it tough, and this is one lever the government has at its disposal to help alleviate these pressures."
Mr Parton also said it was "ridiculous" the government was encouraging city commuters to take up public transport to avoid delays caused by impending light rail construction while still running its interim timetable.
"We need to resume to pre-COVID timetables as soon as possible and give Canberrans confidence when it comes to using public transport in the ACT," he said.
Mr Parton's motion noted the introduction of free bus travel in Tasmania for five weeks until the end of April, which the state's government said was to alleviate cost-of-living pressures.
Transport Minister Chris Steel is expected to amend the motion in the Assembly, dropping the six-week free travel period in favour of the government considering when targeted and time-limited free travel could help drive up passenger numbers when the network has capacity.
Mr Steel will tell the Assembly fares for public transport in the ACT are already cheap, and the proposal makes for a good headline but not long-lasting policy to shift people from private cars to buses and light rail.
"An adult who takes public transport to and from work five days a week will pay a total of $32.20 - significantly less than the price of a tank of fuel and parking. Thanks to our weekday caps on pricing, the most a non-concession card holder would pay for five days taking multiple trips by public transport is $48," he will say.
Mr Steel has previously said he would take a conservative approach to dropping the interim timetable, as it was designed to allow the network greater flexibility in managing COVID-related driver absences.
Transport Canberra on Tuesday said in a statement on its Facebook page the interim timetable would continue until further notice, but the situation would be constantly evaluated.
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"The timetable continues to provide a high level of frequency with all local services and the Rapid 10 running at least every 30 minutes and all other rapids running at least every 15 minutes during the day and around every hour after 8pm during the week," the statement said.
Public transport services are operated at a loss in the ACT. The total operating loss, including depreciation, was more than $203 million in 2019-20 across bus and light rail services.
Public transport fare revenue was $29.1 million in the same period.
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
