Tickets from $1.25: Plan to slash tram, bus and off-peak fares

Melbourne’s commuters could save up to 70 per cent on public transport fees under a new plan proposed by a key state government advisory body.

Infrastructure Victoria says off-peak tram and bus fares should be dropped to drive people away from crowded trains and spread demand.

The plan includes $2.50 off peak train tickets, $1.25 off peak tram tickets and bus trips would cost just $1.25 at all times.

Peak-hour train trips into the city would rise to $5 in a bid to encourage commutes to use trams or buses instead.

The free tram zone would also be scrapped as part of the plan, which is expected to reduce the number of trips on city roads by 96,000.

Transport Matters MP Rod Barton said he supports the plan’s push to bring back off-peak travel fares.

“We certainly want to get people travelling outside of peak,” he told Ross and Russel.

But Mr Barton doesn’t think the free tram zone should be ditched.

“There is no way that I would be scrapping the free tram zone, in fact, I think we should be increasing it,” he said.

“We can do both.”

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