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

NEWS RELEASE: Opal Card Launch - Good News but More Consultation Needed

posted Friday 7 December 2012
A transport consumer group has welcomed the launch of the Opal smart card this morning. Allan Miles, secretary of Action for Public Transport (APT) said that something tangible and visible has finally happened. "One small step onto the boat, one giant leap for Sydney," he said.

Mr Miles said that APT is not concerned that the launch is only a small trial of a simple single fare. "We are happy to wait until the bugs, technical and human, are found and corrected before moving on," he said. "Future deadlines should not be rushed or postponed to meet (or avoid) political goal posts."

"However, we are disappointed that there has been a complete lack of consultation and engagement with passengers during the development period," Mr Miles said. The announcement on 26th November was the first we have heard about how discounts might be calculated. We want genuine consultation with passengers during the next phases - not just "This is it. Any questions?"

The initial ferry-only card will mean that people who connect with a bus or train will need to buy a second ticket until fares for all modes come on-line. "As a recompense for this drawback," Mr Miles said, "Neutral Bay residents want an immediate return of their half-hourly Sunday ferry service."

Mr Miles said that APT looked forward to future adjustments to the discounts once the system has settled down.

"In Brisbane," he said, "a bus fare using a gocard is 30% cheaper than a cash fare paid to the driver. This is apart from any discount for frequent use, off peak trips, or a daily fare cap." He said that a similar discount on the ferries would encourage casual travellers to use the Opal card.

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