Tuesday 1 March 2016

SENIORS FACE MASSIVE INCREASE IN TRAIN FARES UNDER THE BAIRD GOVERNMENT

Seniors and pensioners who travel on trains in NSW will be hard hit by planned changes to train fares by the Baird Government.

IPART is recommending an increase to the daily cap for Gold Opal Card users and force some seniors off the Gold Opal Card altogether.

The current $2.50 daily cap for Gold Opal card users will increase by 60 per cent to $4.00 by 2018.

IPART is recommending that seniors who do not claim the pension be forced off the Gold Opal card and onto the regular concession card.

The daily cap on concession cards is $9.00 meaning seniors who do not claim the pension will have their daily fare increase from $2.50 to $9.00 on 1 July 2016 – that is an increase of 260 percent.

The Gold Opal Card will be restricted to War Widows and Pensioners.

In addition, IPART is recommending that the current eight-trip model be ditched and Opal commuters pay for their ten most expensive journeys per week.

Implementing these fares would see people travelling to and from work five-days-a-week by train forced to pay up to 48 per cent more –which equates to $959 per year for some.

Fare increases, including a 30 per cent hike for individual fares, would come into effect from July this year.

The NSW Opposition is urging the Baird Government to scrap unfair changes to the Opal fare system which will leave seniors, pensioners and regular commuters severely out of pocket.

IPART’s report can be read here.

Quotes attributable to Opposition Leader Luke Foley

 “At a time when we should be getting more people onto public transport the Baird Government is planning to make trains more unaffordable.

“The Baird Government is making it harder for seniors to get to the doctor, volunteer at their church and participate in the community.

“These Opal fare changes will hurt the most vulnerable members of our community.

 “These unfair price hikes will just push more people onto already congested roads.”