>Wasn't Westrail, or certainly parts of it, turning a small profit?
>Cheers
>David
Unfortunately no , although its annual deficit isnt anywhere near as bad as
the eastern operators.
Annual operating deficit for 1989 ==> 1994 (dont have any more current
figures) was approx $78 million.
Over the same period revenue from country passenger services was $22 million
in 1989 dropping to $15 million in 1994.
Costs of running the passenger services was $37 million in 1989 dropping to
$28 million in 1994, so loss in running the pass services was $13 million
dropping to $9 million .(losses take into account concessions.)
This works out at approx 18 cents per net pass/km which is 2nd best with the
SRA beating it at approx 16 cents per net pass/km. (XPTs are winners.)
The rest range from 23 up to 34 cents per net pass/km.
Whether a private operator could do better remains to be seen.
One of the anomalies that seems to plague rail passenger operations is the
issue of concession fares, which all Govt Railways are obliged to
provide,whereas the privately operated non rail operators, ie bus & air dont.
Are GSR obliged to offer a range of concession fares, and for how long?
cheers
MD
(These figures taken from BTCE working paper No 40.)
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Maurie Daly
Department of Communications Lab.
Canberra
Australia
mauried@commslab.gov.au
ph 6 2791331
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