Going down the road? That'll be a million thanks...

SO BRISBANE apparently now has the world's third most expensive public transport. We're only behind London and Oslo and with a further 15% hike planned for next year, it can't be long before we gain that particular crown.

The State Government is trying to tell us that this is all to help fund improvements in the system. And to be fair, infrastructure such as the network of busways around Brisbane doesn't come cheap. The section of the Northern Busway from Roma Street to Herston cost $135 million back in 2004; the tunnel linking Windsor to Kedron pocket change for an Arab oil sheik and not many others.

But here's the thing though. Having travelled the world I've ended up on a fair amount of public transport. In London for example, a trip around Zone 1 on the Underground will set you back £4.30 - around A$6.50. Pricey, yes; but for that you get an extensive network where trains run so frequently that there's not a timetable to be found. Instead you just look at the display on the platform to see when your next train arrives. Not bad when you consider that back in 2007 that same ticket cost you £4.00.

Here in Brisbane a trip around Zone 1 will set you back $4.50. Cheaper, but the devil is in the detail. Grab an Oyster Card in London and that same peak-hour trip will only set you back £2.00 (about A$3), where here in Brisbane your Go Card costs $3.05. Keep travelling all day with an Oyster Card in London's Zone 1 and the most you'll pay is £8.40; keep travelling Brisbane's Zone 1 on your Go Card and you could well find yourself $24.40 under by the time the free travel kicks in after 10 trips in one week.

But surely unlimited free trips after 10 is a pretty sweet deal right? Yep - if you have the time to do what this guy did. The backpacker who bought that card can now travel from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast, stopping at pretty much station along the way for a quick beer (although upon getting out at Dakabin they might be tempted just to get straight back on board). Expect many copycats in the coming weeks, but let's face it: who has the time to do these things? And more to the point, who wants to catch a train and bus down to Surfers Paradise when you can drive in half the time?

On the topic of backpackers, this system really is bad for them. Just say someone wants to catch the bus out to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary before heading to Mount Coot-tha, coming back into the city then jumping on the CityCat for a quiet cruise before the sun goes down. Said punter asks if they can buy a day pass, only for the receptionist to burst out laughing, holding his hides as the spasms take hold. Eventually he recovers enough to explain that there are no day passes in Brisbane, leading both to question why and mutter dark things under their breaths about the Queensland Government.

Not that the current Opposition's much better. LNP leader Campbell Newman thinks that the Cross-River Rail project - which would double the number of inner-city rail river crossings to 2 - is "an $8 billion unfunded fantasy".

Sigh.

In a time where global warming is something we're trying to avoid, surely a responsible government's best bet is to try help get people out of their cars and onto public transport.

Last I checked, continually raising the prices isn't really going to do that.