❓ Hon Darren West asks about passenger numbers, average passengers per trip, and taxpayer subsidy per passenger for the Avonlink train service. The answer provides overall subsidy figures but cannot isolate Avonlink costs due to shared resources with MerredinLink.
AnsweredQoN 3821Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) How many fare paying passengers travelled on the Avonlink for each month in each of the following financial years: (a) 2013-14; (b) 2014-15; and (c) 2015-16 to date? (2) What was the average number of passengers, per trip, in each of (1) (a), (b) and (c)? (3) What was the total taxpayer subsidy per passenger, including any subsidy paid through Royalties for Regions, in each of (1) (a), (b) and (c)?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
5 April 2016
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Transport
Response time
42 days
On 1 December 2014 enhanced AvonLink services were introduced. This increased AvonLink services from 10 to 28 per week and reduced MerredinLink services from 6 to 2 per week.
(1)(a)-(c) - (2) [See tabled Paper no. ].
(3) The AvonLink railcars are used for both the AvonLink and MerredinLink train services and therefore the costs provided are inclusive. Noting there have been some changes to the accounting methodologies used by Transwa over the period requested, it is not possible to accurately separate the costs between the services. Accordingly, it is not possible to provide the total cost to Government per passenger on the AvonLink train service as the revenue collected is allocated as a total amount shared across both train services. A simple division of the number of passengers on either the AvonLink or MerredinLink train service against the figures provided below would not be an accurate reflection of a per passenger cost. Similarly it is not possible to accurately provide a monthly figure in each financial year for the AvonLink service as a result of the sharing of costs between the two services. Nevertheless, the subsidy information for each of the financial years listed at part 1 is as follows:
- 2013/2014 $2 531 375.78
- 2014/2015 $3 254 406.76
- 2015/2016 $2 018 347.16 (to 31 January 2016).
(1)(a)-(c) - (2) [See tabled Paper no. ].
(3) The AvonLink railcars are used for both the AvonLink and MerredinLink train services and therefore the costs provided are inclusive. Noting there have been some changes to the accounting methodologies used by Transwa over the period requested, it is not possible to accurately separate the costs between the services. Accordingly, it is not possible to provide the total cost to Government per passenger on the AvonLink train service as the revenue collected is allocated as a total amount shared across both train services. A simple division of the number of passengers on either the AvonLink or MerredinLink train service against the figures provided below would not be an accurate reflection of a per passenger cost. Similarly it is not possible to accurately provide a monthly figure in each financial year for the AvonLink service as a result of the sharing of costs between the two services. Nevertheless, the subsidy information for each of the financial years listed at part 1 is as follows:
- 2013/2014 $2 531 375.78
- 2014/2015 $3 254 406.76
- 2015/2016 $2 018 347.16 (to 31 January 2016).
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