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

The Independent Pricing & Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) is yet again calling for submissions on proposed fare rises. Bus and ferry fares last rose on 3 January 2006. Submissions to the current IPART reviews close on Friday 29 September.

Commuter groups are up in arms about more fare rises for transit users while motorists are handed $2000 grants for gas conversions and $30 credits on tollway e-tags.

About half of Sydney’s government buses have been using gas fuel for years, according to Action for Public Transport. “It’s about time transit users got some credit for their restraint on the consumption of fossil fuels, and their contribution to reduced urban air pollution and global warming” said APT spokesman Allan Miles.

“And of course, every bus which uses a toll road is already equipped with a tag” he said.

Mr Miles said that the government seemed to have no problems with breaking road tunnel contracts to improve conditions for motorists. "However," he said, "they can't extend the popular TravelPass tickets to private bus areas or give equal TravelTen discounts to private bus passengers because 'it's not in the contract'."

“It’s important passengers write to IPART”, Mr. Miles said.

"But passengers don’t have to sit down and think of arguments for IPART," Mr. Miles said. It's all there in APT's submission, which is on the APT website at www.aptnsw.org.au". (Click on “public transport news and commentary”).

"Raising fares again is only going to increase traffic congestion even further," Mr. Miles said. "The Premier's much vaunted 'whole of government' approach to transport and traffic would see fares held steady, so the whole community would benefit from a shift to public transport," he said.

“With the state election just 6 months away, the politicians will be watching how commuters react to fare rises”, he said. “There is strong evidence that the unprecedented number of submissions to the last IPART fares inquiry had an influence on the Tribunal’s decisions regarding off-peak fares and TravelTen discounts”, he said.

(Submissions should be sent to IPART at PO Box Q290, QVB Post Office, NSW 1230 or in electronic format to transport@ipart.nsw.gov.au , clearly marked to refer to the review of bus and ferry fares.)

Contacts	Allan Miles	9516-1906
	Jim Donovan	0428-609-208