❓ Opposition Leader Mark McGowan questions the Minister for Transport's decision to cancel late-night train services due to low patronage. The Minister defends the decision based on advice from the Public Transport Authority (PTA) and cost considerations, offering to provide monthly data if requested.
AnsweredQoN 19Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LATE-NIGHT TRAIN SERVICES — PATRONAGE
19. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Minister for Transport:
I refer to the minister's decision to cancel the
late-night trains, citing low passenger numbers.
(1) Over what period were the statistics gathered for this
decision?
(2) How did the minister come to the passenger numbers used
to justify this decision?
(3) Could the minister provide the monthly figures for these
train journeys used to justify this decision?
(4) What consultation did the minister's department
conduct before he made this decision?
19. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Minister for Transport:
I refer to the minister's decision to cancel the
late-night trains, citing low passenger numbers.
(1) Over what period were the statistics gathered for this
decision?
(2) How did the minister come to the passenger numbers used
to justify this decision?
(3) Could the minister provide the monthly figures for these
train journeys used to justify this decision?
(4) What consultation did the minister's department
conduct before he made this decision?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question.
(1)–(4) The
recommendation from the Public Transport Authority to me was that due to low
patronage this service should be cancelled. The advice that I received from the
PTA is that there is an average of 80 passengers per 1.15 am and 2.15 am
service on weekends—a figure that can go as low as between 20 and 30
passengers. It is acknowledged that the number is lower during winter than
during summer, but at an average of 80 passengers per service it was felt that
as this is a free service, the patronage number was too low to justify it. It
costs $1.5 million a year to maintain this service. It would be far cheaper to
offer every one of these people a taxi voucher, if we could identify them, than
to maintain this service. The Leader of the Opposition has asked for the
monthly data. I do not have the data at hand, so if he wishes to put that
question on notice, I will supply it. I have taken on board the advice from the
Public Transport Authority. We have also publicly stated that this service will
not cease until April and that we are prepared to continue to monitor and look
at it. If the people believe that this service is warranted, they need to vote
with their feet and use it. A number of people have contacted me and suggested
that they were not aware that it was a free service, so we are giving them time
to demonstrate that this service is of value. I received the advice on the
patronage numbers from the Public Transport Authority. It is what it is.
(1)–(4) The
recommendation from the Public Transport Authority to me was that due to low
patronage this service should be cancelled. The advice that I received from the
PTA is that there is an average of 80 passengers per 1.15 am and 2.15 am
service on weekends—a figure that can go as low as between 20 and 30
passengers. It is acknowledged that the number is lower during winter than
during summer, but at an average of 80 passengers per service it was felt that
as this is a free service, the patronage number was too low to justify it. It
costs $1.5 million a year to maintain this service. It would be far cheaper to
offer every one of these people a taxi voucher, if we could identify them, than
to maintain this service. The Leader of the Opposition has asked for the
monthly data. I do not have the data at hand, so if he wishes to put that
question on notice, I will supply it. I have taken on board the advice from the
Public Transport Authority. We have also publicly stated that this service will
not cease until April and that we are prepared to continue to monitor and look
at it. If the people believe that this service is warranted, they need to vote
with their feet and use it. A number of people have contacted me and suggested
that they were not aware that it was a free service, so we are giving them time
to demonstrate that this service is of value. I received the advice on the
patronage numbers from the Public Transport Authority. It is what it is.
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