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

Mr Allan Miles, a spokesman for the consumer group, Action for Public Transport (APT), said that ever higher fares had long been seen as the easy way out of Sydney Ferries’ financial problems, and it was pleasing to see the anchor applied for next year.

“Minor increases of 10 or 20 cents a trip to keep pace with inflation are not a problem,” said Mr Miles, “but larger increases will force commuters out of transit and into their cars. “

Mr Miles said that ferry users baulked at paying more for ‘service improvements’. “Commuters, especially those on the Manly run, did not see frequent crashes, cancellations, poor maintenance and bustitutions (replacements by buses) as service improvements,” he said.

Sydney Ferries Corporation (SFC) also wanted fare increases to cover future improvements, Mr Miles said, but users will pay on delivery and not before.

“Regular commuters will also be happy with the relatively minor adjustments to the popular FerryTen and TravelPass tickets,” Mr Miles said. “Claims about excessively high discounts on FerryTens fail to take into account the two distinct groups of ferry customers – commuters and tourists,” he said. FerryTen discounts will remain at around 35% for the Inner Harbour routes, and 25-30% for Manly and Parramatta River routes.

“And don’t forget,” Mr Miles said, “that IPART does not set the fares. IPART only sets the maximum fare. It is the government that puts the fares up.”

Mr Miles said that the price of the all-day DayTripper ticket would remain at $15.00, despite a recommendation that it be increased to $16.00. “In fact,” Mr Miles said, ”the Ministry should give consideration to a short, sharp, shock and reduce the price to $10.00. This would encourage its use by infrequent travellers, and avoid the horrendous problems and delays that cash fares impose on the bus system.”

Mr Miles said that a minor annoyance is the two different dates for applying ferry and bus fares increases. “Ferry fares change on 18th December and bus fares on 3rd January, which means that some fare leaflets have to be reprinted twice in the space of two weeks.

“And while we hate to spoil the festive spirit,” Mr Miles added, “it would be of great benefit to the vast throngs of tourists if Sydney Ferries’ vessels showed the correct destination in the appropriate box, instead of “Merry Christmas.”

Contact: Allan Miles 9516-1906; Kevin Eadie 9819-6052.