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

"Commuters must have a say in the wording of the charter, and approve the final version," says Allan Miles, spokesman for Action for Public Transport. "We won't just accept tablets of stone handed down from above."

"Other transport providers such as State Transit, Sydney Ferries and the private buses and ferries should also have Commuter Charters," he said. "The bus contracts require a Passenger Relations Plan, but consumers should also have a say in framing it."

Mr Miles recalled that CityRail produced a draft charter in early 2001. He said that this followed comment in the December 1999 fares determination by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) that CityRail had no passenger charter, and further criticism in the December 2000 report that CityRail still didn't have one. "Nothing more has been heard of it since," added Mr Miles. "The charter must not be allowed to die of neglect like so many other CityRail promises."

"The proposal to link fares to performance is not practicable," said Mr Miles. "It has been discussed before in IPART reviews and rejected," he said. However, Mr Miles agreed that the salaries and jobs of CityRail executives should be linked to performance.

Mr Miles also welcomed the idea of a Transport Ombudsman. "Energy and water users in NSW have an ombudsman," he said, "and public transport users in Victoria also have recourse to an Ombudsman."

Energy & Water Ombudsman (NSW) http://ewon.com.au/

Public Transport Ombudsman (Victoria) http://www.ptovic.com.au/

However, Mr Miles suggested that the NSW Transport Ombudsman should take the best from both these organisations. "In Victoria," Mr Miles said, "the Transport Ombudsman can act only in matters where transport providers fall short of their legal or advertised standards. It cannot go into bat for better services." "In NSW," he said, "the energy Ombudsman not only resolves individual complaints, but takes an active role in working with providers and regulators to get a better deal for consumers."

Mr Miles wants the NSW Transport Ombudsman to cover all public transport, not just trains. "Two points worth copying from the Victorian legislation are coverage of the whole public transport network, and the placement of a user representative on the board."

"A Transport Ombudsman should also have the capacity to deal with more serious complaints, including injury and threats by staff or other passengers." he said. "The infoline 131500 is often inappropriate for such complaints, and can mean that the matter is lost in the system or not reported at all."

"Public transport users in NSW eagerly await the opportunity to have their say in the formation of the Commuter Charter and the Commuter Ombudsman," Mr Miles said.

Contact: Allan Miles 9516-1906