Where are the Opal card refunds we were promised?
When the government introduced electronic tickets, we were told it would allow for refunds after significant delays. After three days of rail chaos, that promise seems to have been forgotten.
NSW
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It was only five years ago when newly appointment chief executive for Sydney Trains Howard Collins fronted the cameras and made his pitch for the Opal card.
Taking his experience as the chief operations director for the London Tube, Mr Collins said electronic ticketing made it easier for customers to get a refund if the network experiences difficult delays.
See the video here:
“People have had a delayed journey, we can automatically refund their journey on the tube and I think that will be a thing for Sydney to look forward to,” he said at the time.
He laid out the objectives for a five-to-ten year strategy, which also included removing the need for timetables because trains run so frequently.
“Don’t expect miracles overnight,” he said.
Today the Opal card is a reality but refunds are a distant dream.
Transport Minister Andrew Constance yesterday apologised to Sydney’s rail users, admitting the train network is a mess after several days of cancellations and delays but is refusing to refund passengers for their tickets.
He said “every dollar” needed to be put towards the system.
While Mr Constance was blaming the transport chaos on staffing issues, lightning and even God, the union and Labor were again pointing the finger at his new timetable introduced six weeks ago.
“It’s an act of God when you have three lightning strikes take out substations, train routes and signalling,” Mr Constance said.
Commuters have taken to social media to demand refunds from the government.
#SydneyTrains @AndrewConstance So no refund for your incompetence because you need Opal fares to pay staff? Pathetic! Sydney needs a working train service - are you providing one? No. How about taking ~$2m from the 'rebuild-a-perfectly-good-stadium' budget, and refund us??
— James Clay (@jamesroyclay) January 10, 2018
#SydneyTrains Can I get an $80 refund for having to get a train to Strathfield in order to get a taxi home to Hornsby because there were no trains running north from Rhodes on Monday night around 10:30pm. Please ask me for full story!!!
— TollyWaffle (@AnnieWaff17) January 10, 2018
If Sydney Trains was truly customer focused this mess would not have occurred. That said, every commuter inconvenienced should not only get a full refund they should also be given one week's free train travel. That is what I would do. What Sydney Trains will do?... I have no idea https://t.co/Wu8cy3t6dQ
— Andrew Catsaras (@AndrewCatsaras) January 10, 2018
An online petition has even been set up, pointing to Mr Collins’ 2013 interview promising refunds for extended delays.
Mr Collins, and Transport Secretary Rodd Staples will report back to Mr Constance within a fortnight on how the network can better recover from major incidents.