Quote:

A Labor promise to make bus, ferry and CityCat travel free on Fridays for eight months was "a giveaway gimmick" that would cost ratepayers a 4 per cent rates increase, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said on Sunday morning. Labor's Brisbane mayoral candidate Rod Harding on Sunday proposed making all Brisbane City Council bus, ferry and CityCat travel free on Fridays for eight months from 1 May until 31 December 2016. However Mr Harding defended his plan saying it would cost $28.5 million, which Brisbane City Council would repay to Translink under a commercial arrangement to repay the lost revenue and any new services............

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/labor-pledges-free-friday-buses-but-lnp-calls-it-a-gimmick-20160207-gmnrjs.html

unthought out promise by labor.


Another failure in the making

bloody good idea. If you want to ease congestion in the cities, make public transport free.

4% rate increase - oh the horror!

Free transport - bring it on.

Sprintcyclist wrote on Feb 8^th, 2016 at 10:54am:

Quote: A Labor promise to make bus, ferry and CityCat travel free on Fridays for eight months was "a giveaway gimmick" that would cost ratepayers a 4 per cent rates increase, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said on Sunday morning. Labor's Brisbane mayoral candidate Rod Harding on Sunday proposed making all Brisbane City Council bus, ferry and CityCat travel free on Fridays for eight months from 1 May until 31 December 2016. However Mr Harding defended his plan saying it would cost $28.5 million, which Brisbane City Council would repay to Translink under a commercial arrangement to repay the lost revenue and any new services............ http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/labor-pledges-free-friday-buses-but-lnp-calls-it-a-gimmick-20160207-gmnrjs.html unthought out promise by labor. Another failure in the making

In Boston you can catch light rail anywhere for just $1 a trip the line even goes to Logan airport.

How can the Americans run privatised light rail with cheap fares when it costs so much more in Australia, is it because they don't have to pay for bloated public servants?

John Smith wrote on Feb 8^th, 2016 at 10:58am:

bloody good idea. If you want to ease congestion in the cities, make public transport free.

It's not free, dumbazz. It'll cost every ratepayer - even those who never, ever use public transport.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Feb 8^th, 2016 at 3:51pm:

John Smith wrote on Feb 8th, 2016 at 10:58am: bloody good idea. If you want to ease congestion in the cities, make public transport free. It's not free, dumbazz. It'll cost every ratepayer - even those who never, ever use public transport.

Labor supporters seem to think everything is free and that here are no costs to free transport

Armchair_Politician wrote on Feb 8^th, 2016 at 3:51pm:

John Smith wrote on Feb 8th, 2016 at 10:58am: bloody good idea. If you want to ease congestion in the cities, make public transport free. It's not free, dumbazz. It'll cost every ratepayer - even those who never, ever use public transport.

yeah, cause without it I won't pay any rates or taxes  :D :D :D

mariacostel wrote on Feb 8^th, 2016 at 5:06pm:

Armchair_Politician wrote on Feb 8th, 2016 at 3:51pm: John Smith wrote on Feb 8th, 2016 at 10:58am: bloody good idea. If you want to ease congestion in the cities, make public transport free. It's not free, dumbazz. It'll cost every ratepayer - even those who never, ever use public transport. Labor supporters seem to think everything is free and that here are no costs to free transport

who said there are no costs?

Maybe they'll also provide free rates for 8 months....

Swagman wrote on Feb 8^th, 2016 at 5:59pm:

Maybe they'll also provide free rates for 8 months....

Being Labor, they might as well promise free petrol as well. It will suck in the terminally dumb like JS of course, but not many others.

John Smith wrote on Feb 8^th, 2016 at 10:58am:

bloody good idea. If you want to ease congestion in the cities, make public transport free.

I can't see that making a positive difference.  With parking at $17 a day and the cost of petroleum/upkeep on top of that, public transport is  already far ahead in terms of cost, but people still drive.  The reason they use private vehicles is not a financial one.

... wrote on Feb 8^th, 2016 at 6:19pm:

John Smith wrote on Feb 8th, 2016 at 10:58am: bloody good idea. If you want to ease congestion in the cities, make public transport free. I can't see that making a positive difference.  With parking at $17 a day and the cost of petroleum/upkeep on top of that, public transport is  already far ahead in terms of cost, but people still drive.  The reason they use private vehicles is not a financial one.

a lot has to do with the transport 'hubs' not being anywhere practical

ICAC should look into it.....sounds like the mother of all bribes  :D

A bit more than a bottle of champers....