NEWS RELEASE: Fare Increases Could Lose New Converts
**** On The Wrong Bus ****
Charging higher fares is not the way to attract and keep motorists seeking
refuge from higher petrol prices, according to a transport consumer group.
Allan Miles, spokesman for Action for Public Transport (APT), said the bus
and ferry authorities are ruining a great marketing opportunity.
"In recent months," Mr Miles said, "public transport has attracted many
new passengers from the ranks of suffering motorists." "A fare increase
now may lose these converts, and deter prospective new ones," he said.
"Some of the fuel cost increases should have been covered by the fares from
new passengers," Mr Miles said. "Much of this increased patronage has been
carried on existing services at no extra cost," he said.
**** Subsidies ****
Mr Miles said that the government should fund any further shortfall in
revenue. He said that remarks by the Transport Minister about subsidies were
not helpful. Mr Watkins was reported as saying, "the taxpayer who doesn't
use public transport services will have to subsidise those who do." Mr
Miles said that we live in a community, and we all pay with our taxes for
things that we don't directly use, such as schools, farm subsidies,
prisons, art galleries, drug injection rooms, etc. "The community benefit
from good, affordable public transport is less congestion on the roads for
non-users," he said.
Mr Miles said that Mr Watkins' comments seemed at odds with Mr Iemma's
plan for a co-ordinated approach to government planning.
**** Government Fuel Pricing Policy ****
Mr Miles said that Australian governments are in disarray over fuel pricing
policy. "Higher fuel prices are here to stay," he said, "yet the Federal
Government chooses to subsidise rich motorists who can afford $3,000 gas
conversions, while the NSW State Government wants to raise fares on a bus
fleet which is already substantially gas-powered".
**** Beat The Fare Rise - Buy Now! ****
Conceding that a fare increase is probably inevitable, Mr Miles suggested
that regular and even infrequent users should stock up on TravelTen and
FerryTen tickets now. "These save time and money," he said, "and have no
expiry date. Buy up big now!"
Mr Miles said that users of the popular TravelPass weekly tickets should
consider investing in a yearly one. "A yearly ticket is only 40 times the
price of a weekly," he said, "and once you have paid, you are immune from
fare increases." "But you must apply before any increase is approved," he
added.
"Employers could provide interest-free loans to staff to enable them to buy
yearly tickets," he said, "with repayments from salary deductions."
**** IPART Procedures ****
Mr Miles was critical of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal
(IPART) for soliciting and receiving submissions from the transport
authorities before the fare review had been made public. "In past years,"
he said, "the review was always advertised at least a month before
submissions from the authorities were due." "Even then," he said, "they
seemed to be caught by surprise, had nothing ready, and were often late with
their submissions." "This year," he said, "they are so eager that they
seemed to have jumped the gun."
IPART's web site shows that the Review will be advertised in newspapers on
23rd August, and that submissions from the public will be received until
29th September. "Public transport users are urged to make submissions to
the Review," Mr Miles said, " even if it is only one paragraph. The
unprecedented number of submissions opposing the rail fare increase last
year had an effect on the outcome, so you will not be wasting your time."
Contact: Allan Miles 9516-1906