Sunday, October 13, 2013

MEDIA RELEASE: Bus service cuts and the public transport affordability crisis, Brisbane


October 14, 2013

The Translink Ripoff


Today Translink will implement changes to Brisbane bus services after protracted consultations and redesigns. These changes come amid an unprecedented public transport affordability crisis in South East Queensland. We anticipate there will be a lot of angry bus users, who will be even angrier when they are slugged with yet another 7.5% fare increase in January 2014.

Consultation with the people of Brisbane around changes to bus services has been a minimal afterthought. The Brisbane City Council provided a nine question survey, virtually identical to the one used by Translink in their limited consultation. Translink user satisfaction surveys are designed to minimise criticism by skirting or ignoring the real issues, namely, that public transport in SEQ is sub-standard and far too expensive.

If bus service reforms are to be effective they must involve genuine engagement with the people who use them.

The people of Brisbane used their democratic rights as ratepayers and citizens to reject the original Translink reforms. They did this in a climate of plummeting affordability. It was a last ditch effort to protect the little service quality that could be relied upon from a public transport system with profound problems that leave most users disillusioned.

We believe the public transport system is in need of total reform if Brisbane is to become a truly international city with affordable, reliable, fast and regular service.

This Thursday, October 17 we will celebrate our 2nd birthday as The Translink Ripoff. During the last two years we have provided a responsive sounding board and a place for righteous anger for disillusioned Brisbane public transport users who feel they have nowhere else to go. It is the thoughtful criticisms from public transport users and our willingness to listen and respond that has seen our blog included in the Queensland Government funded Pandora Archive. Our blog The Translink Ripoff is regarded by the team at the State Library of Queensland as having “lasting significance” and will continue to be archived.

Ends

Media contact:
Page Manager - The Translink Ripoff
Michael Swifte
0449 180 465

Links.

'Why the bus cuts fell to pieces' from The Translink Ripoff blog
Pandora Web Archive – Translink Ripoff
The Translink Ripoff – Facebook page
Creative Craft Activism by Donna from Toussaint Trading

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