SEQTA notes with concern, the announcement by Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg, that a 50c public transport bus link between Toowoomba and the South-East Queensland Suburban rail network will not proceed.
Public transport affordability and access remain vital
- The 50-cent fare policy has been widely adopted across Queensland’s public transport network, including the transport network within Toowoomba through Translink.
- Pricing reform has had continued tangible benefits with increased patronage and notable cost-of-living relief.
- For many Toowoomba residents, especially those travelling for work, essential services or SEQs many high-standard educational services, a 50-cent bus link to the wider rail network could prove an immediate benefit, easing financial stress and connecting Toowoomba to the rest of SEQ.
Rejection undermines the goals of inclusion and connectivity
By ruling out the 50c Toowoomba-Brisbane connection, the Minister’s decision effectively denies many Queenslanders the full benefit of the supposed “permanent 50c fare” policy. While private coaches currently service the region, these are rarely comparable to frequent, integrated public-transport services and for many people, coaches are just too expensive and infrequent to be a sufficient enough service. Such a decision risks entrenching inequality in transport access, limiting mobility for lower-income residents, students, seniors, and others without private vehicles.
SEQTA calls for evidence-based, community-focused transport planning
We urge the Queensland Government and Minister Mickelberg to revisit decisions on Toowoomba’s connectivity -- not simply on the basis of existing private services, but on a comprehensive assessment of community need, cost-of-living pressures, and equal access. It is vital there is either a bus service from Toowoomba to Rosewood/Ipswich such as the extension of the 539, or that there is an alternative subsidised bus service to Brisbane City, to give residents a low-cost, viable alternative to existing services.
to conclude,
Whilst SEQTA recognises the challenges of balancing budget, infrastructure and demand, scrapping all prospects of a 50c link from Toowoomba in the name of “existing private coach provision” just simply undermines the very purpose of the 50c fare reform: To deliver affordable public transport for all Queenslanders, urban or regional.
We stand with Toowoomba communities who deserve full access to cost-effective, reliable public transport that connects them with the rest of the state.
