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

"The city's buses are rapidly going Pre-Pay, which is great for speeding up buses, but it has left the infrequent users in limbo," said Allan Miles, secretary of Action for Public Transport (APT).

"The Sydney fare system should be simple, and market-driven, getting as many people on public transport as possible," Mr Miles said. "Instead, we have accountants running the show, dead scared that somebody might score a free ride!"

Mr Miles said that the complicated fare section system is too difficult for visitors and ticket agents to understand. "Passengers denied entry and sent to an agent could be sold the wrong ticket," he said, "and face a penalty if confronted by an inspector." He said that ticket agents, unlike bus drivers, cannot be expected to know which bus goes to Haberfield, or what the fare is.

"A zone system as used in other global cities would be much simpler for everyone," Mr Miles said, "but the government, supported by the Pricing Tribunal, clings to the nineteenth century pay-per-metre-travelled method."

Mr Miles said that alternatives such as zone fares, four-hour tickets or cheaper day tickets were shunned by government because they had "implications for revenue". "Marketing and passenger convenience are alien concepts in Treasury counting houses," he said.

From 6th April, bus passengers must have a ticket before boarding a bus at any stop in the George Street corridor between 7 am and 7 pm Monday to Friday. "APT generally supports this and other pre-pay projects," said Mr Miles, "but some of the rough edges need more attention."

"When they go to an agent, would-be passengers could be frustrated to find that the ticket they want is out-of-stock," he said. "Some agents keep limited volumes because of high costs and low commission."

Mr Miles said that many bus stops in George Street had no nearby ticket agents, or the agents were hard to find. "This must be remedied quickly," he said, "particularly at Town Hall and Railway Square."

He said that one solution would be a cheap one- or two-zone all day bus ticket. "But Treasury ears are deaf," Mr Miles said. "They fear people will abuse a cut-price ticket and take an 80 km ride to Palm Beach and back."

"In the meantime," Mr Miles said, "State Transit should promote the existing BusTripper ticket costing $12.70. Most visitors would get their money's worth after three or four rides."

"However, far from promoting it," he said, "State Transit prefers to hide the BusTripper ticket. It is not mentioned among other pre-pay ticket s on the glossy George Street brochures, or on bus timetables."

"The timing of the George Street conversion is rather unfortunate," Mr Miles said, "being only three days before the start of the Royal Easter Show, when the city will be crammed with visitors from near and far."

Contact: Allan Miles 9516 1906