Re: New Fares in NSW

["David Proctor" <daproc@sd4.mailbank.com>]

Mr Simpson wrote in message <372C4FC4.B219E7D0@mail.usyd.edu.au>...

>i agree, but i think its simply too hard to administer, as how on earth
will
>they check that the offpeak commuters actually don't travel during the
>restricted period, since a restriction can't be placed on selling the
ticket (it
>can be bought any time.. used later) nor on putting the ticket through
gates (no
>guarantee there are gates in use etc).

Firstly, beef up revenue protection staff - they are almost non-existent.
Since SillyRail claim that 85% of passengers go through gated stations, all
it would require is a concerted campaign on their part to ensure that staff
do the jobs that they are paid to do (i.e. make passengers with magnetic
tickets use the gates) - it is amazing the number of people you see at some
city stations who merely show their ticket to barrier staff and walk through
the wide gate. If the staff actually did what they are paid to do, this
owuld not be so much of a problem.

>such a restriction would open up a new
>world of fare evasion - its bad enough as it is.besides.. what hours would
you
>define as evening peak? in the morning everyone is through by 9.. in the
arvo
>journeys can start at 2-3 for industry and the school kids; 4-5 for other
>businesses and then 6 or later for others

I think some of the morning restrictions are a joke too - why put a peak
restriction on a return from Blacktown to Penrith at 8am for example? The
trains are less than full, and it is not inconveniencing anyone! There are
countless other examples. At least they are halfway flexible with regard to
some (but by no means ALL) trains that arrive in the City after 9am.

For the afternoon peak, I would define it as any train that leaves a certain
business centre (I would define them as City (the usual stations),
Chatswood, Parramatta and Bankstown between 4pm and 6pm in any direction -
this then allows people working in those business districts to be provided
with services that are not full of people paying just over half fare.

DaveP