Bid to upgrade and combine Public Transport Victoria and myki websites over budget and late

TROUBLE-plagued myki has suffered another cost blowout of more than $600,000 after a bid to merge its website with Public Transport Victoria was delayed by more than a year.

TROUBLE-plagued myki has suffered another cost blowout with a bid to merge its website with Public Transport Victoria delayed by more than a year.

The overhaul of Melbourne’s key public transport websites was originally budgeted to cost $3.83 million but has crept up to $4.5 million.

And the project’s timeline has also gone off the rails with an expected delay of more than 12 months.

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myki’s website is set to be integrated with the PTV website. Picture: Supplied

The “website integration and development” promised to combine the PTV and myki websites, introduce maps to the “journey planner” and allow passengers to more easily check and top up their mykis.

The Sunday Herald Sun understands the delay has been caused by extensive testing and the difficulty of adding ticketing information to show passengers exactly how much a trip will cost, to the “journey planner”.

Daniel Bowen, of the Public Transport Users Association, was not surprised by the cost and delivery blowouts.

“Unfortunately myki in particular does have a track record of being delayed and having cost blowouts,” he said.

Public Transport Users Association’s Daniel Bowen. Picture: Supplied

“It would be lovely to see some of these upgrades on time and on budget but it seems its just not to be.”

But Mr Bowen said a new website was desperately needed to replace the “clunky” one currently on offer.

“A new myki and PTV website can’t come soon enough,” he said.

“It is important to make sure that this information is not just accurate, but that it is easy to find.

“The new website is not completed yet but it shows promise.”

PTV launched a “beta” — or test — website with the new map journey planner in May.

The new website will make topping up online easier. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The website is expected to be launched later this year but the myki component will not be added until mid-next year.

PTV spokesman Tim Clare said the new site would “transform passengers’ online experience”.

“Integrating myki into the PTV website and journey planner will make topping up online easier and help passengers know exactly how much their journey will cost,” he said.

“Passengers have been central to the design of the new website, and we have worked closely with them to build the functionality.”

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