Free bus trial flop shows Libs have no plan for traffic

• Less people used buses in Hidding’s free trial period than the year before
• Pre-7am travel window was never going to solve larger traffic concerns
• Labor’s policy tackles the issues and will boost passenger numbers

Rene Hidding’s only answer to Hobart’s traffic woes – a trial of free bus travel before 7am – has been exposed as a complete failure.
Shadow Transport Minister Craig Farrell said Right to Information data obtained by Labor shows less people caught buses in the free-travel window than they did in the same period 12 months earlier.
On average, 15 people less per day travelled on Metro Buses on business days in the same period of 2017 than 2016.
“Labor called out the trial as a doomed to fail and a joke at the time and the stats back this up,” Mr Farrell said.
“Rene Hidding has egg on his face because he’s not prepared to tackle the core issues which lead to traffic congestion.
“The Liberals have no plan to alleviate Tasmania’s growing traffic congestion problems.
“The Government is pushing ahead with a plan to buy new buses but this failed trial shows the Liberals clearly have no strategy on how to use buses to service the needs of Tasmanians.
“In contrast, a year ago Labor launched its game-changing, $60 million All Aboard long-term passenger transport strategy designed to ease Tasmania’s growing traffic congestion problem, which includes the establishment of a Passenger Transport Corporation to modernise public transport and dramatically increase patronage.
“We call on the Liberals to adobt Labor’s policy and get on with the job of fixing congestion on our roads.
“Labor’s 10-year growth strategy will increase the number of full-fare paying passengers by 50 per cent by 2028.
“This will increase revenue coming into state coffers and reduce government subsidies that currently sit at $70 million annually.
“Importantly, Labor’s strategy includes free transport for students to their nearest school, reducing traffic gridlock at peak times to boost the Tasmanian economy and provide relief for families paying to send their kids to school.”

Read more about All Aboard: http://taslabor.com/all-aboard/
Craig Farrell MLC Shadow Transport Minister