Fare evasion on Victoria’s public transport system is at record lows ahead of the Andrew Labor Government’s crackdown on serial fare evaders.
Public Transport Victoria (PTV) Fare Compliance results released today show 97.4 per cent of Metro train users are travelling with a valid ticket, and 95.9 per cent of V/Line train passengers are too.
A record 96.4 per cent of tram passengers travelled with the right ticket in the six months to October, up more than four per cent since the Labor Government took office.
Fare compliance on buses is also improving, with 93.6 per cent of passengers holding a valid ticket, compared to 92.7 per cent since the last Fare Compliance survey.
The results come ahead of the introduction of the Labor Government’s simpler, fairer and more effective fare enforcement system on 1 January 2017.
It will abolish on-the-spot penalty fares and replace the complex, inequitable and ineffective regime introduced by the former Liberal Government with a single infringement system that makes it easier to do the right thing.
The $75 penalty fare means a passenger can get caught fare evading more than 20 times in one year, and still pay less than the cost of a regular Zone 1 & 2 yearly pass.
Penalty fares are also anonymous, so there is no record kept of serial offenders, meaning the worst fare evaders cannot be identified and targeted.
The new system also provides a clear process for how and when fines can be issued, and how and when they can be challenged, reducing conflict between passengers and Authorised Officers just doing their job.
PTV’s Fare Compliance results are released every six months. For more information about the new fare enforcement regime and a copy of the latest report, visit ptv.vic.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan
“These results show more people are paying their way and supporting the public transport system we all rely on.”
“Under our simpler and more effective enforcement system, there will be nowhere for serial fare evaders to hide. A record of every fine will be kept and those that repeatedly try to cheat the system will pay the price.”
“The new system will also be fairer for people who do the right thing but make an honest mistake, with a clear process for when fines can be issued, and when they can be challenged, so people aren’t unfairly punished.”
“We’re making it easier to top-up, touch-on and travel, while we get on with the major projects our network needs like the Metro Tunnel, 50 level crossing removals and more than 100 new trams and trains for Victoria.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020