Greens float free public transport ‘experiment’ as City Hall vote nears

While Brisbane City Council owns and operates the city’s bus fleet, state agency Translink manages ticketing and timetables. The state pays the council a subsidy for its part, but runs train and ferry services itself.

Labor unveiled its council transport policy last month, including a proposal to halve zone one and two bus fares. The Greens have previously suggested it would cost the state $275 million to fully subsidise public transport.

What they said

In a statement to media ahead of an announcement on Saturday morning, Sriranganathan said the proposal would build on the party’s plan for more high-frequency bus routes.

Queensland Transport Minister Bart Mellish responded to Labor’s City Hall transport pitch last month by saying “any initiative that encourages more people to get out of their cars and onto public transport is a winner in my book”.

Loading

Of that proposal, LNP council administration finance chair Fiona Cunningham said Labor had “surrendered the real alternative agenda to the radical and risky Greens”.

By the numbers

Detail released alongside the Greens proposal says the plan would cost $338 million over four years, including:

• A once-off $45 million council budget allocation to make all travel on trains, buses and ferries in the council area free as part of a three-month trial
• $13.5 million ongoing council funding to cover city public transport for under-18s
• $80 million annually from 2025 to extend free off-peak public transport from seniors’ travel on buses and ferries to all ages and services

Get the inside word on the news, sport, food, people and places Brisbane is talking about. Sign up for our City Talk newsletter here.