Amid push for free travel, Labor promises $30 weekly cap on Victorian public transport if re-elected

A two-year fare cap

Premier Ben Carroll announced the public transport cap on Monday. It is due to start on 1 January, the day after half-price fares end. The discounted fares followed a period of free travel introduced in response to a fuel crisis linked to the US-Iran war. The government estimates the new cap will cost $206m and last until December 2028.

Carroll said a regular commuter could save $1,400 a year. He described the measure as cost-of-living relief, with full-time workers expected to benefit most.

Funding and its limits

The government says the fare cap is not sustainable over the long term. It plans to pay for it through what it called “commonsense decisions to reduce spending” in other areas.

The commitment is conditional on Labor being re-elected next month. The article says half-price fares end immediately before the planned start date.

Greens call for free travel

Greens leader Ellen Sandell urged Labor to remove fares altogether. She said the proposal was a temporary discount that would expire after the election. Sandell also called for more frequent, reliable and accessible trains, trams and buses, saying people need services they can depend on.

Toll pledge draws criticism

Labor’s public transport announcement follows its Sunday pledge to cap road tolls at $30 a week for one year. The government says regular toll users could save as much as $5,000.

The Coalition had previously promised a $50 weekly toll cap if elected in November. Opposition leader Jess Wilson said Labor could not be trusted to reduce tolls, pointing to increases during its 12 years in government.

Wilson described Labor’s pledge as imitation. She said Victorians were paying higher tolls because of decisions made by the government.