Action for Public Transport (N.S.W.) Inc.

A spokesman for APT, Allan Miles, said that proposals put to the Pricing Tribunal’s Fares Review include reductions in TravelTen and FerryTen discounts, a big rise in single ferry fares, deferral of private bus TravelTens until 2007, a flat "no" to TravelPasses for private bus users, and a threat to the future of all TravelPasses.

“The ticket system is devised for the convenience of Macquarie Street accountants,” Mr Miles said, “rather than for the benefit of Macquarie Fields commuters.”

Mr Miles said that the government’s main concern seemed to be covering costs by raising fares. “There are few, if any strategies for increasing revenue by lifting patronage,” he said.

Mr Miles said that the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) will discuss these matters at a public hearing on Friday 28th October.

“The State Government might lose marginal seats in the 2007 election,” Mr Miles said, “unless its transport reforms offer commuters in middle and outer ring suburbs new, convenient tickets like those already enjoyed by State Transit's inner-suburb passengers.”

Action for Public Transport says the future of the handy “TravelPass” ticket is under a dark cloud, and its demise could well seal the fate of the present government, which acknowledges that poor public transport, and low public approval, is its biggest liability.

“Tickets which conveniently integrate buses and trains will be crucial to the public's perception that the trains have improved by the next election,” Mr Miles, said. “However, the government on its own admission has no intention of extending TravelPass benefits to the private bus areas,” he said. “This policy is beyond comprehension.”

Mr Miles said that Action for Public Transport and other commuter groups will confront the Ministry on this issue at the Public Hearing of the Pricing Tribunal’s bus and ferry fare review on 28th October. (9.30 am, Level 2, 44 Market Street, Sydney)

“The Ministry of Transport claims that TravelPass tickets, based on the CBD, do not suit the accounting and contractual arrangements for the private bus areas,” said Mr Miles. “We can only assume,” Mr Miles added, “that the Ministry considers internal book-keeping to be more important than the convenience of Western Sydney commuters.”

Mr Miles said that the Ministry, in its submission to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART), claims that TravelPasses give excessive discounts. “However, when pressed to provide hard evidence,” he said, “the best that the Ministry could do was some biassed guesses about ‘probable’ travel patterns.”

“The government's Treasury boffins seem hell bent on making sure every public transport trip is paid for - the accountants' approach - instead of greatly increasing revenue by offering tickets which retain and build on public transport patronage," Mr Miles said. “Progressive transport boards in cities around Australia and overseas have long ago discarded distance-based fares in favour of zonal tickets that allow users to travel freely within specified areas,” he added.

“Persisting with distance-based fares as the sole ticketing system will keep Sydney’s commuters locked into the nineteenth century,” said Mr Miles. “Mr Watkins needs to seek guidance from sources who can run the transport system to suit the passengers, and not just for the administrative convenience of the bureaucrats.”

Contact:
Allan Miles 9516-1906;
Kevin Eadie 9819-6052.