Article: Scrap airport rail toll, report says

[ozbob]

From the Daily Telegraph click here!

Scrap airport rail toll, report says

Scrap airport rail toll, report says

    Simon Benson
    From: The Daily Telegraph
    August 23, 2011 12:00AM

NEW direct buses to Sydney Airport should be introduced and the $11.80 access fee for the airport rail link scrapped, according to a scathing report into traffic congestion by the Productivity Commission.

A toll could also be placed on the M5 to reduce traffic in and around the airport.

In a draft report into economic regulation of airports released yesterday, the commission called for the O'Farrell government to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of abolishing the access charge on rail ticket prices to the airport.

It claimed that the currently poor patronage figures of 11 per cent could be increased to 26 per cent simply by removing the prohibitive charge which adds $11.80 to a $3.20 train ticket for anyone using the airport link to the city.

It claimed the cost of funding the abolition of the charge, estimated to be about $40 million and which is retained by the private rail operator under its contract, could be offset by reducing the need to build more road infrastructure.

It said congestion could also be reduced by additional direct bus services to the airport.

The report was scathing of successive state governments' under-investment in access infrastructure to Sydney Airport and the rail link deal which prohibits competitive bus services from being introduced without the potential of compensation to the rail operator. "At one level the congestion on roads to and around Sydney Airport can be seen at least in part as suggestive of insufficient investment in road capacity by the responsible governments," the report said.

"However, as many participants emphasised, the problems evident on the roads to and around the airport can also be seen partly as a reflection of insufficient support for alternatives such as rail and buses. Roads in and around Sydney Airport are often heavily congested with airport and non-airport traffic."

The Tourism & Transport Forum welcomed the report and called on Barry O'Farrell's government to adopt the recommendations.

"There is no doubt that increasing rail patronage to the airport can play a significant role in reducing congestion to and in the vicinity of Sydney Airport," TTF chief executive John Lee said.

"The access charge is a considerable deterrent for many travellers and airport employees to use the rail link and reducing or removing the charge would be a positive outcome for Australia's gateway airport."

The report criticised the federal government for not investigating if major airports were misusing their market power. The commission called for the ACCC to be given powers to conduct "forensic" price investigations into the airports.

Productivity Commission also called for the Federal Government to investigate whether the airports were using market power to restrict competition for airport parking.


Read more: http://www.news.com.auhttp://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/scrap-airport-rail-toll-report-says/story-e6freuzi-1226120040081

[somebody]

Don't see the need for the buses though?

Is it $40mil once or every year?

[johnnigh]

Buses can go where trains don't, of course.

Currently, the bus that does roll through the two terminals originates somewhere near, if not at, Rockdale railway station and terminates at Bondi Junction. Strangely, both ends are railway stations on the same rail route (Bondi Jcn to Cronulla), but not on the airport link. A Rockdale or Bondi traveller pays a fraction of the rail journey price for a slower but no-change-of-bus-journey, with the possibity of congestion delays.

It will be interesting to watch Mr O'Farrell refuse to accept the Productivity Cmn findings, as he undoubtedly will.

[SurfRail]

Currently, the bus that does roll through the two terminals originates somewhere near, if not at, Rockdale railway station and terminates at Bondi Junction.

400 goes as far as Burwood, I believe the 410 only goes as far as Rockdale and is the peak hour route.  (The 400 was thought to be a good candidate for Metrobussing, but apparently the brand of this route dating from its origin is strong enough to warrant leaving it alone.)

[ozbob]

From the Daily Telegraph click here!

Sydney Airport rail fare review - overhaul being considered

    Exclusive by Rhys Haynes Transport Reporter
    From: The Daily Telegraph
    August 29, 2011

RAIL fares to Sydney airport could be halved as part of an overhaul being considered by the state government.

The private owner of the airport rail line is willing to negotiate a dramatically reduced price to attract more passengers.

Sydney air travellers have long argued the $15 train fare between the city and the airport is too expensive and better spent on a taxi.

A draft Productivity Commission report last week slammed Sydney Airport Link's expensive ticket prices and said a reduction would attract more passengers.

"The contract has been around for 10 years," Airport Link Company chief executive officer Tim Anderson said.

"The Productivity Commission has made comment on the structure and if the state government wishes to review the arrangements we'd be prepared to participate in the discussion."

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said all options are being considered.

"The Productivity Commission report is being considered by the Department of Transport," Ms Berejiklian said.

"The Transport Masterplan to be released next year will look at land transport issues in relation to Sydney Airport."

A rail ticket between Central and either the domestic or international airport is currently made up of the Airport Link's $11.80 station access fee, on top of the $3.20 CityRail fare.

It is believed a renegotiated Airport Link contract could result in train passengers paying a station access fee reduced to about $4 or $5, together with the state government paying a "ghost fare" to subside the private company.

"Airport Link and the government could sit down and negotiate a mixture of shadow payment and revised profit share, to result in a halving of the present ticket price," said one industry source, who did not want to be named.

Earlier this year the Keneally government's decision to subsidise the $2.60 station access fee at the Airport Line's two other stations, Green Square and Mascot, cut fares by 45 per cent and demand shot up 50 per cent.

Read more: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/airport-rail-fare-review/story-e6freuzi-1226123951962

Many lessons here for the, cough cough, Airtrain ....

[somebody]

So long as it isn't a "shadow toll".  When they did that at Green Square and Mascot the patronage grew by 45% IIRC.