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NEWS RELEASE: Victoria Road "Prepay" Buses Will Discourage New Passengers

posted Monday 25 October 2010
The extension of "PrePay" bus fares to the Victoria Road corridor on Monday 1 November 2010 could deter bus use, jeopardising growth in bus patronage, according to regular passengers.

The Convener of Action for Public Transport, Kevin Eadie, said the spread of the PrePay ticket system had made the simple act of catching a bus in Sydney increasingly complex, sufficient to deter new and occasional bus users.

"We need an interim arrangement, where people who don't usually use buses can walk up and get on board, without having to understand the mind-boggling complexities of the Sydney ticket system, and being denied boarding because they don't have a PrePay ticket," Mr Eadie said.

"In a couple of years' time, nearly everybody will have a smartcard, or a smartphone, which they can load with cash for small purchases, including bus fares," he said. "In the meantime, the government's urban planning rhetoric of increasing the use of public transport can only be achieved by making it easier for non-regular passengers to use it," he said.

"One option could be a penalty-priced, no-change, cash fare to the driver, which would discourage repeated use, but would get the passenger moving without delaying the bus," Mr Eadie said.

"Regular commuters have adapted to the PrePay ticket system, which undeniably gives them much faster journeys, without delaying the bus while the driver sells tickets," he said. "But life is getting more difficult for occasional, or potential, passengers".

"The purchasing of PrePay tickets through retail outlets must also be improved," Mr Eadie said. "Too many retailers are carrying too little stock, or have shops which may be closed or are difficult to access for people with disabilities," he said. "Nor can sales staff be expected to advise casual bus users on the complexities of routes and tickets," he said. "One or two unsuccessful attempts at buying PrePay tickets will have already caused many prospective bus users to have given up altogether," he said.

"In more civilised cities, ticket vending machines were installed at bus stops, or on the vehicles, before the PrePay system was implemented," Mr Eadie said. He said it was both too late and too expensive to do that now in Sydney, given that the new transport smartcard was imminent.

Media inquiries:   Kevin Eadie 9819-6052
Allan Miles 9516-1906
Jim Donovan   0428-609-208




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