Train, bus, ferry fares could be slashed by half, pricing review recommends

FARES on NSW trains, buses and ferries could be cut by up to 50 per cent — and people who catch different types of transport will be big winners.

Opal Card Commuters. Pictured is Nadja Popavic, at Central Station today with her Opal Card.

FARES on NSW trains, buses and ferries could be slashed by up to 50 per cent on some routes as part of proposed changes to public transport ticketing.

More than 60 per cent of commuters in Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast, Wollongong and the Blue Mountains could end up paying less, according to a review into price penalties suffered by Opal card users.

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has suggested a massive overhaul of public transport fares after Opal users complained that they are forced to pay more if they change modes of transport.

IPART recommends an end to free journeys after eight, but instead frequent travellers could receive a ‘credit’ each week. Picture: Opal.com

It now costs $4.50 for a 25-kilometre journey made in the peak using only buses, $4.82 using only trains, but can cost $7.70 if the same passenger uses a train and a bus.

A passenger who, for example, catches a bus from North Parramatta to Parramatta train station and then catches a train to Town Hall now pays a total of $6.92 during peak hours, which includes the separate bus and train fares.

As part of the integrated fare structure proposed by IPART, with fares charged based on the total distance travelled, that passenger would pay just $4.74 — a 32 per cent saving.

The report said that most multi-mode passengers will end up paying 20-50 per cent less for each journey. Off-peak fares would be discounted by 40 per cent.

But some passengers will end up paying more if all the IPART proposals are adopted.

It suggested that the current daily $2.50 seniors be cut and that instead of having a Gold Opal card, seniors with a pensioners of War Widow/ers Card would be given an Opal Concession Card with a $9 daily cap.

IPART argued that the concession has not increased since 2005, but the cost of living has risen by 30 per cent.

IPART also proposed increasing the daily cap for regular passengers from $15 from Monday to Saturdays to $18 from Monday to Fridays. New daily caps on weekends are also proposed — $7.20 for adults on a Saturday and Sunday.

It also suggested that commuters travelling more than 15 kilometres on a bus and 65 kilometres on trains would pay more.

The current Opal discount scheme where all travel is free after eight journeys, or when passengers spend $60 in a week, would be replaced by a new “travel credit” scheme.

Some passengers have been exploiting a loophole by taking unnecessary shorter trips in the first part of the week so they can qualify for free travel on longer trips later in the week.

IPART said it wants to eliminate the “perverse incentive” which is costing taxpayers about $150 million a year.

Instead, passengers would pay for all their journeys as they go and receive a credit at the end of the week so that they would end up only paying for their 10 longest journeys, up to a maximum of $65 a week.

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance ordered the review after commuters complained of being stung with extra fares when they had to change modes of transport. This unfairness came sharply into focus after the 4 October changes to city bus routes — forced by the construction of the CBD light rail — meant some passengers to change from bus to train to complete their journeys to work.

IPART chairman Peter Boxall said the new proposals are designed to be fairer.

Submissions to IPART are open until 5 February. Any new fares will come into effect on 1 July.

Originally published as Train, bus, ferry fares could be slashed by half, pricing review recommends