QUEENSLAND will consider giving commuters a free ride to work in a bid to free up packed peak-hour buses, trains and ferries, Transport Minister Rachel Nolan says.
Ms Nolan said she was considering several ideas, including free travel ahead of peak hour and off-peak travel on commuter Go cards.
"I am open to a range of ideas about making public transport work better, but the thing to remember is if we cut back on fare revenue it's harder to keep rolling out new trains, new buses, it's harder to keep making the service better,'' Ms Nolan said.
She said providing free pre-peak hour travel would cost the Government about $12 million.
And there was already a $3 to $4 subsidy provided by the Government in every dollar spent by commuters.
Ms Nolan was coy on when fare changes may happen, if at all.
"The question that I've been asked is 'Is this in or out?' and at this stage this and other ideas are in,'' she said.
"But this is going to be a careful and proper consideration, I'm not going to rush in on this one.''
She declined to answer whether she had already put forward any submissions to Treasurer Andrew Fraser or the budget review committee on the issue.
