Tasmanians can ride the bus for free from today after the state government scrapped fares for three months to ease the impact of rising fuel prices.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced the measure on Sunday, saying patronage on Metro services had jumped 20% over the past week as motorists feel the pinch.
The government said some commuters could save up to $88 a week, with free travel to run until July 1.
The move has drawn broad support across the political spectrum, though MPs have raised concerns about whether the network can handle the expected increase in riders.
Greens deputy leader Vica Bayley said 120 bus routes remained out of operation.
“The reinstatement of these cut bus routes is likely to become more urgent as prices rise, as people will increasingly need to have an alternative to their own car,” he said.
Labor leader Josh Willie said service reliability was already a problem before fares were removed.
“Service reliability has been a huge issue under this government,” he said.
“We don’t want that to impact people’s working arrangements and them not being able to take public transport because it’s unreliable.”
Independent MP Helen Burnet questioned whether the July 1 end date was realistic given ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East.
“We don’t know what might happen in the Persian Gulf by July, but there is no doubt that the impacts of the war and the cost-of-living pressures will continue beyond July 1,” she said.
“I’m sure continuing free buses would be welcomed.”
The free fares extend to the Derwent Ferry service between Hobart and the city’s eastern shore, but do not cover Bruny Island.
Independent MLC Dean Harriss said the island’s residents had been overlooked.
“Quite simply, it’s unfair,” he said. “In a cost-of-living crisis the free transport policy is a good thing, but it needs to be fair to everyone.”
Free fares run until July 1.
