CITY’S BUS BLUDGERS

Far evaders on Gold Coast buses costing millions

TAXPAYERS are missing out on millions of dollars because 20,000 bus travellers on the Gold Coast every week aren’t paying their fare.

The Bulletin can reveal the fare evade button was pressed by Surfside Bus drivers 1 million times in the 12 months to June 30 this year.

This is more than double the 425,000 passengers who free loaded the previous year.

The Government says the figures reflect more policing and the loss in fares amount to $1.6 million.

However, Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey, who sought the data, believes taxpayers are much bigger losers given southeast Queensland lost almost $26 million last year in revenue.

TAXPAYERS are missing out on millions of dollars because 20,000 bus travellers on the Gold Coast every week aren’t paying their fare.

The Bulletin can reveal the fare evade button was pressed by Surfside Bus drivers on 1,024,261 occasions in the 12 months to June 30 this year.

This is more than double the number for the previous year when 425,000 passengers boarded without swiping their Go card or refused to pay.

The Government says the figures reflect more policing and the loss in fares amount to $1.6 million.

Senior network officers issued 1567 warning notices and handed out 503 fines, up from 125 warnings and 193 infringement notices the year before.

But Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey, who sought the data, believes taxpayers are much bigger losers given southeast Queensland lost almost $26 million last year in revenue.

“Fare dodgers are cheating us all and bus drivers are powerless to stop them for fear of attack or retribution of some kind,” Ms Stuckey said. ‘The Palaszczuk Government have dropped the ball on bus safety and education and now, we the taxpayers, are paying dearly for it.”

Ms Stuckey is seeking figures for southeast Queensland revenue leakage and for a breakdown of the Coast losses.

“They’re fudging the figures – we could be spending that money on much needed infrastructure like widening the M1 to Tugun,” she said.

Using current ticket prices and rate of fare evasion, if passengers had a free ride across just a single stop it could amount to a $2.3 million loss to the taxpayer. Across the network would be $19 million.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, in her response to Ms Stuckey, said the Palaszczuk Government considered revenue protection and safety of all passengers a priority. The Government had employed 59 senior network officers across southeast Queensland with 11 based on the Coast.

“In the 2016-17 financial year, there were 51 joint operations between TransLink and the Queensland Police Service targeting fare evasion and behavioural issues on the Gold Coast’s bus, rail and light rail services,” she said.

“The continued permanent SNO presence on the Gold Coast and a focus on reporting and reducing fare evasion have contributed to higher fare evasion counts.

“The safety and security of both passengers and operational staff working on our public transport is a top priority.”

Ms Trad said the Queensland Bus Driver Safety Review identified fare conflict as one of the five key triggers of violence.

“That’s why, as a part of the government’s interim response to the Bus Driver Safety Review, we are taking action to roll out a public awareness campaign and trialling antishatter screens for Gold Coast buses,” she said. “In the next stage of the government response, we are investigating our fare collection policy and the use of police and SNOs on the network to maximise their effectiveness.”

Students have been targeted in a bid to prevent fare evasion and improve behaviour.