Commuters paying more for worse service
Posted: Monday, 26 March 2012 | By: Penny Sharpe
Commuters are paying higher fares for longer and more frequent train delays under Barry O'Farrell – with the government's own figures revealing CityRail is failing to meet on time running benchmarks.
"Under the O'Farrell Government, commuters have been forced to experience longer and more frequent delays right across the CityRail network," Shadow Transport Minister, Penny Sharpe said today.
"For three months, trains across the CityRail network have failed to meet the 92 per cent on time running benchmark and it is only getting worse.
"Commuters from Sydney, the Hunter, Central Coast, Illawarra, Blue Mountains and South Coast are being hit by the O'Farrell Government's delays.
"The East Hills Line has fallen to 82.7 per cent on time running, the South Coast Line to 84.4 per cent, and the Western Line has fallen to 87.3 per cent under the O'Farrell Government.
"These train delays come on top of the O'Farrell Government's decision to increase public transport fares by 5.4 per cent - almost double the rate of inflation.
"This means the O'Farrell Government is charging commuters up to $156 extra per year for poorer services.
"You can hardly charge commuters more for a service that is worse than what they received this time last year.
"The O'Farrell Government's refusal to take on time running seriously is inconveniencing hundreds of thousands of commuters each and every day.
"On time running matters for every commuter. It means getting to work on time and then arriving home to your family at a reasonable hour.
"In Opposition, the O'Farrell Government said it would improve services, but all we have seen is fares increasing and rail delays getting worse.
"By comparison, the former Labor Government met CityRail on time running benchmarks for every month during the past three years."
*Table of CityRail on time running performances below.
Table of CityRail on time running performances
Tags: Barry O'Farrell, commuters, fares, Gladys Berejiklian, Penny Sharpe, public transport, trains, transport