Public transport fares set to soar next year

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Public transport fares set to soar next year

Public transport fares set to soar next year

   by: Ashley Gardiner
   From: Herald Sun
   December 06, 2011 12:00AM

PUBLIC transport fares are set to soar next year, with plans to slug commuters an extra 8.6 per cent - the biggest rise in eight years.

The increase will mean a daily Zone 1 fare will rise by 60c to $7.60, almost $150 a year extra.

Commuters will fork out more than $32 million extra during 2012.

It will be the first time since 2004 fares have risen above the rate of inflation.

The large increase in 2012 was first mooted by the former government, but has been adopted by the Baillieu Government.

The Herald Sun believes Department of Transport officials have briefed Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder on the rise, which would require his approval.

It was a key part of the former Brumby government's transport plan to help bankroll billions of dollars worth of projects.

But the blueprint, the Victorian Transport Plan, has been largely shelved.

Two big fare rises, calculated at the rate of inflation plus 5 per cent, were planned for 2012 and 2013.

The VTP says: "When new trains and additional capacity are delivered to the public transport network in 2011, fares will increase above (the) consumer price index to reflect some of the cost of the investment."

Labor public transport spokeswoman Fiona Richardson said the rise contradicted the Government's pledge to cut the cost of living.

"The Liberals plan to slug commuters and deliver no plans to improve the public transport network," Ms Richardson said.

"Terry Mulder is the new Sheriff of Nottingham - all take and no give."

The increase was to fund Victorian Transport Plan projects, now shelved.

"It's a bit rich for the Liberals to reach into the pockets of every commuter and ask them to pay more for nothing in return.

"The Liberals have clearly abandoned their key pre-election commitment to cut the cost of living for all Victorians."

Government spokeswoman Josephine Cafagna blamed the former government.

"The former Labor government had already budgeted this public transport fare increase before leaving office," she said.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age clickhere!

Baillieu's sting on commuters

Baillieu's sting on commuters
Clay Lucas and Reid Sexton
December 6, 2011


VICTORIAN public transport fares will jump by an average of 8.6 per cent on New Year's Day, in the biggest one-off impost on commuters in nearly a decade.

The price rises - for trains, trams and buses - will in most cases be more than twice the current rate of inflation.

The rises could prove particularly controversial for Premier Ted Baillieu, who campaigned before last year's state election on a promise to cut costs for families.

Daily, all-zone ticket users in Melbourne will be among the hardest hit, with prices jumping from $10.20 to $11.08 for myki card holders (8.6 per cent), and from $11 to $11.90 on Metcard (8.2 per cent).

The popular two-hour fare in metro zone one will jump by 8.6 per cent for myki card holders, from $3.02 to $3.28.

But two-hour Metcard users will get a partial reprieve, with the zone-one fare going up just over 5 per cent, from $3.80 to $4. It was decided to settle on the even $4 fare to avoid problems with coin vending machines.

A government spokesman told The Age fares were going up by an average of 8.6 per cent. This suggests some could rise more than 8.6 per cent, given that others are going up by less. A full list of the new prices was not available last night.

Regional rail travellers are also expected to be hit by an 8.6 per cent price rise, although V/Line was last night in the dark about the rises.

The fare increases are the biggest since 2004, when they went up by around 9 per cent.

And it is only the second time since Melbourne's trains and trams were privatised in 1999 that fares have gone up by more than the rate of inflation.

The government last night sought to blame the jump on the former Labor state government, which said in 2008 it would lift public transport fares by inflation plus another 5 per cent as part of a big infrastructure plan.

A spokeswoman for Mr Baillieu said Labor had already budgeted for the public transport fare increase before it was voted out. ''This increase was already included in the budget by Labor prior to the election of the Coalition,'' she said.

But Labor attacked the government for keeping the extra fare charges, while dumping many of its promises to improve public transport.

''The fare increases were designed to help fund new rail infrastructure under the Victorian Transport Plan but ... the Liberals have dumped the plan,'' Labor public transport spokeswoman Fiona Richardson said.

''And now they are trying to blame this fare rise on us.''

While the plan to put up fares was first floated by the former government, the current administration has for weeks declined to answer questions about how much fares will go up on New Year's Day.

Train, tram and bus operators were still in the dark yesterday about what they would be charging their customers on New Year's Day.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said it was ironic that such a big rise was being pushed through by the Baillieu government.

''They promised to cut the cost of living, so increasing transport fares like this is going against that pledge. No public transport user will welcome having to pay so much more for getting around,'' he said.

''Surely with the increase in patronage, revenue has already increased by a huge amount. They shouldn't need to lay on a big increase in fare prices.

''The risk is that this will discourage people from using public transport.''

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/baillieus-sting-on-commuters-20111205-1ofne.html