Re: [Melb] Cheap train fares dumped

[Vaughan Williams <ender2000@my-deja.com>]

> From my personal observation, the above statement is not quite true.
> Majority of the "least well-off members of the community" are holders
of
> Seniors Cards, Health Care Cards (with NS, WA, YA, SA, SL codes) or
> Pension Card, thus do not usually purchase family or group tickets.

Unfortunately, the journalist quoted the least relevant part of her
lengthy discussion with Paul.

What he said on radio this morning is more pertinent - getting angry at
private operators for trying to rip people off is like getting angry at
a mad dog for biting you. Its really all Peter Batchelor's fault,
because he's too busy jetsetting off to Canberra to lobby for more
money for freeways to keep the private operators under control.

What I think was meant by the above comment was that people who take
advantage of the off-peak ticket in particular tend to be people who
don't work (if they were working, why would they travel off peak?). So
abolishing discounted off peak tickets does hit less well off people
compared with, say increasing the full fares across the board. Also,
the off peak tickets benefit people in outer suburbs (you needed to be
in Zn 2 or 3 to use them). People in outer suburbs are less well off
relative to people closer to the city and yet pay the highest fares.
They also have to put up with the poorest service. It was in this
context that I think Paul made the above comment.

Vaughan


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