Article: $12 million black hole in public transport commuter fines

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$12 million black hole in public transport commuter fines

$12 million black hole in public transport commuter fines

    by: Greg Thom
    From: Herald Sun
    February 14, 2012 12:00AM

COMMUTERS are escaping one in every two public transport fines, creating a $12 million revenue black hole.

The huge gap has emerged between the total value of fines issued by the Transport Department and what travellers actually pay for their transgressions.

The department gave out more than $24 million in infringement notices last year.

But commuters pinged for offences ranging from fare evasion to putting their feet on train seats coughed up just $12 million.

The missing millions would be enough to buy a new train complete with six carriages - enough for 1000 passengers.

The fines shortfall is 45 per cent more than the $8 million gap recorded in 2010.

The statistics follow a crackdown on fare evasion last year in which 95,000 fines were issued between May and October, the highest in two years.

Transport Department spokesman David Stockman said the multi-million discrepancy was because of factors including successful appeals against fines and court rulings.