Scroll down for the Minister’s response, or click here to discover more about how we’re working for Wendouree.

Original Constituency Question from Juliana Addison MP to Parliament –

My constituency question is for the Minister for Public Transport. Would the minister please provide me with an update on the Andrews Labor government’s plan for cheaper regional public transport fares?

Fairer fares are a game changer for my community and indeed all Victorians. As someone born and bred in Ballarat, I have been a V/Line passenger for decades, relying on the Ballarat to Melbourne service to get to uni and to work, as well as using V/Line to get to events like the cricket, the footy and concerts.

With cost-of-living pressures increasing, Victorians are looking for ways to save money. One way our government is addressing the pressures is by capping regional public transport fares at the metro rate of $9.20.

This is a significant saving for a daily peak return fare from Ballarat to Melbourne, with the fare slashed from $45.60 to $9.20. This will deliver a massive saving for passengers, particularly those who catch the train to and from Melbourne multiple times a week.

I cannot wait to report back to my community about fairer public transport fares.

Response from The Hon Ben Carroll MP, Minister for Public Transport (24 February 2023) –

I thank the Member for Wendouree for her question and her passionate advocacy for better and fairer public transport for her community.

The Andrews Labor Government is keeping its election commitment and introducing a new public transport fare structure for regional Victoria. Under this new fare structure, the cost of a daily ticket for travel on the regional network will be capped at $9.20 for a full fare or $4.60 for a concession fare – the same as the metro daily fares cap.

Regional commuters who use a myki Pass to travel – either the 7-day pass or the 28-365 day pass – will also have their fares capped at the Melbourne Zone 1 and 2 rates, which is currently $46 per week for the 7-day pass, or $5.52 a day for the 28-365 day pass.

The capped fares will apply to all public transport operated by or on behalf of the Victorian Government within the state of Victoria where myki or paper ticketing applies. This includes PTV regional buses, town buses and V/Line trains and coaches.

The new regional fares will commence on 31 March 2023.

A widespread information campaign will be rolled out nearer to 31 March to ensure customers are aware of the changes and any implications for travel, prior to the introduction of the new fare cap.

Watch and read more of my speeches to Parliament here, including responses from ministers on how we’re working for Wendouree.

You can also view videos from Parliament, browse Hansard transcripts, learn about bills and legislation, and much more at the Parliament of Victoria’s website.