❓ Hon Darren West asks about the cost per passenger and passenger numbers for the AvonLink train service. The answer provides subsidy information for both AvonLink and MerredinLink services combined, citing accounting methodology challenges in separating costs.
AnsweredQoN 3732Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) I refer to the AvonLink Train Service, and I ask for each of the months in each of the financial years listed in (2), what was the total cost to Government per passenger? (2) How many paying passengers per trip were carried in each month in each of the following financial years: (a) 2005-06; (b) 2006-07; (c) 2007-08; (d) 2008-09; (e) 2009-10; (f) 2010-11; (g) 2011-12; (h) 2012-13; (i) 2013-14; (j) 2014-15; and (k) 2015-16 to date?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
3 December 2015
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Transport
Response time
42 days
(1) The total subsidy paid by Government is based on the total costs of the Avonlink service less the revenue.
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, Transwa has provided the following subsidy information in each of the financial years listed at part 2:
(a) 2005-2006. $1 696 914.92.
(b) 2006-2007. $2 068 597.06.
(c) 2007-2008. $1 936 274.14.
(d) 2008-2009. $2 189 852.52.
(e) 2009-2010. $2 176 275.39.
(f) 2010-2011. $2 139 291.26.
(g) 2011-2012. $2 014 455.60.
(h) 2012-2013. $2 586 067.52.
(i) 2013-2014. $2 531 375.78.
(j) 2014-2015. $3 254 406.76.
(k) 2015-2016. $916 504.58 (to 30 September 2015).
(2) In view of the explanation provided in respect to the subsidy being based on the AvonLink and MerredinLink services, the patronage figures for both the AvonLink and MerredinLink have been provided respectively. The Transwa schedule as at 1 July 2005 was 10 AvonLink and 6 MerredinLink services per week.
(a) July 2005 1236 / 662.
August 2005 1322 / 657.
September 2005 1065 / 997.
October 2005 1566 / 960.
November 2005 1054 / 565.
December 2005 1608 / 595.
January 2006 1073 / 560.
February 2006 1705 / 360.
March 2006 1894 / 629.
April 2006 991 / 588.
May 2006 1480 / 614.
June 2006 1222 / 867.
(b) July 2006 1326 / 740.
August 2006 1436 / 547.
September 2006 1774 / 757.
October 2006 2758 / 1033.
November 2006 1498 / 608.
December 2006 1209 / 578.
January 2007 1329 / 524.
February 2007 1411 / 364.
March 2007 1598 / 441.
April 2007 670 / 443.
May 2007 1672 / 655.
June 2007 1648 / 549.
(c) July 2007 1286 / 790.
August 2007 1604 / 720.
September 2007 2094 / 688.
October 2007 2603 / 897.
November 2007 1387 / 754.
December 2007 1366 / 479.
January 2008 1190 / 530.
February 2008 1470 / 518.
March 2008 1100 / 337.
April 2008 1643 / 706.
May 2008 1423 / 697.
June 2008 1261 / 627.
(d) July 2008 2081 / 787.
August 2008 1583 / 565.
September 2008 1413 / 693.
October 2008 1575 / 983.
November 2008 1338 / 608.
December 2008 1382 / 539.
January 2009 916 / 506.
February 2009 1688 / 337.
March 2009 1659 / 535.
April 2009 1963 / 653.
May 2009 1473 / 757.
June 2009 1432 / 459.
(e) July 2009 1607 / 738.
August 2009 1404 / 529.
September 2009 1308 / 716.
October 2009 1284 / 916.
November 2009 1556 / 617.
December 2009 1208 / 566.
January 2010 1012 / 509.
February 2010 1679 / 515.
March 2010 1868 / 533.
April 2010 1721 / 612.
May 2010 1616 / 516.
June 2010 1388 / 650.
(f) July 2010 1815 / 761.
August 2010 1323 / 560.
September 2010 1287 / 652.
October 2010 1324 / 695.
November 2010 1343 / 585.
December 2010 1296 / 610.
January 2011 1064 / 464
February 2011 1065 / 351.
March 2011 1231 / 413.
April 2011 1083 / 527.
May 2011 1078 / 534.
June 2011 929 / 525.
(g) July 2011 1162 / 703.
August 2011 1197 / 637.
September 2011 1086 / 559.
October 2011 1361 / 642.
November 2011 1521 / 607.
December 2011 1194 / 585.
January 2012 1196 / 493.
February 2012 1275 / 443.
March 2012 1471 / 566.
April 2012 1226 / 566.
May 2012 1510 / 608.
June 2012 1093 / 571.
(h) July 2012 1558 / 896.
August 2012 1338 / 523.
September 2012 1198 / 627.
October 2012 1303 / 699.
November 2012 1283 / 651.
December 2012 964 / 551.
January 2013 955 / 503.
February 2013 1050 / 388.
March 2013 1311 / 382.
April 2013 997 / 661.
May 2013 818 / 669.
June 2013 1351 / 442.
(i) July 2013 1227 / 796.
August 2013 1221 / 595.
September 2013 834 / 643.
October 2013 1192 / 931.
November 2013 846 / 667.
December 2013 957 / 616.
January 2014 1011 / 468.
February 2014 1097 / 347.
March 2014 1181 / 496.
April 2014 1091 / 542.
May 2014 1086 / 533.
June 2014 940 / 530.
(j) July 2014 1177 / 794.
August 2014 1064 / 498.
September 2014 1175 / 595.
October 2014 1374 / 813.
November 2014 1154 / 526.
On 1 December 2014 enhanced AvonLink services were introduced. This increased AvonLink services to 28 per week and reduced MerredinLink services to 2 per week.
December 2014 1777 / 284.
January 2015 1969 / 161.
February 2015 1787 / 138.
March 2015 1821 / 164.
April 2015 1728 / 277.
May 2015 2138 / 214.
June 2015 1856 / 192.
(k) July 2015 2397 / 416.
August 2015 1911 / 159.
September 2015 1985 / 327.
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, Transwa has provided the following subsidy information in each of the financial years listed at part 2:
(a) 2005-2006. $1 696 914.92.
(b) 2006-2007. $2 068 597.06.
(c) 2007-2008. $1 936 274.14.
(d) 2008-2009. $2 189 852.52.
(e) 2009-2010. $2 176 275.39.
(f) 2010-2011. $2 139 291.26.
(g) 2011-2012. $2 014 455.60.
(h) 2012-2013. $2 586 067.52.
(i) 2013-2014. $2 531 375.78.
(j) 2014-2015. $3 254 406.76.
(k) 2015-2016. $916 504.58 (to 30 September 2015).
(2) In view of the explanation provided in respect to the subsidy being based on the AvonLink and MerredinLink services, the patronage figures for both the AvonLink and MerredinLink have been provided respectively. The Transwa schedule as at 1 July 2005 was 10 AvonLink and 6 MerredinLink services per week.
(a) July 2005 1236 / 662.
August 2005 1322 / 657.
September 2005 1065 / 997.
October 2005 1566 / 960.
November 2005 1054 / 565.
December 2005 1608 / 595.
January 2006 1073 / 560.
February 2006 1705 / 360.
March 2006 1894 / 629.
April 2006 991 / 588.
May 2006 1480 / 614.
June 2006 1222 / 867.
(b) July 2006 1326 / 740.
August 2006 1436 / 547.
September 2006 1774 / 757.
October 2006 2758 / 1033.
November 2006 1498 / 608.
December 2006 1209 / 578.
January 2007 1329 / 524.
February 2007 1411 / 364.
March 2007 1598 / 441.
April 2007 670 / 443.
May 2007 1672 / 655.
June 2007 1648 / 549.
(c) July 2007 1286 / 790.
August 2007 1604 / 720.
September 2007 2094 / 688.
October 2007 2603 / 897.
November 2007 1387 / 754.
December 2007 1366 / 479.
January 2008 1190 / 530.
February 2008 1470 / 518.
March 2008 1100 / 337.
April 2008 1643 / 706.
May 2008 1423 / 697.
June 2008 1261 / 627.
(d) July 2008 2081 / 787.
August 2008 1583 / 565.
September 2008 1413 / 693.
October 2008 1575 / 983.
November 2008 1338 / 608.
December 2008 1382 / 539.
January 2009 916 / 506.
February 2009 1688 / 337.
March 2009 1659 / 535.
April 2009 1963 / 653.
May 2009 1473 / 757.
June 2009 1432 / 459.
(e) July 2009 1607 / 738.
August 2009 1404 / 529.
September 2009 1308 / 716.
October 2009 1284 / 916.
November 2009 1556 / 617.
December 2009 1208 / 566.
January 2010 1012 / 509.
February 2010 1679 / 515.
March 2010 1868 / 533.
April 2010 1721 / 612.
May 2010 1616 / 516.
June 2010 1388 / 650.
(f) July 2010 1815 / 761.
August 2010 1323 / 560.
September 2010 1287 / 652.
October 2010 1324 / 695.
November 2010 1343 / 585.
December 2010 1296 / 610.
January 2011 1064 / 464
February 2011 1065 / 351.
March 2011 1231 / 413.
April 2011 1083 / 527.
May 2011 1078 / 534.
June 2011 929 / 525.
(g) July 2011 1162 / 703.
August 2011 1197 / 637.
September 2011 1086 / 559.
October 2011 1361 / 642.
November 2011 1521 / 607.
December 2011 1194 / 585.
January 2012 1196 / 493.
February 2012 1275 / 443.
March 2012 1471 / 566.
April 2012 1226 / 566.
May 2012 1510 / 608.
June 2012 1093 / 571.
(h) July 2012 1558 / 896.
August 2012 1338 / 523.
September 2012 1198 / 627.
October 2012 1303 / 699.
November 2012 1283 / 651.
December 2012 964 / 551.
January 2013 955 / 503.
February 2013 1050 / 388.
March 2013 1311 / 382.
April 2013 997 / 661.
May 2013 818 / 669.
June 2013 1351 / 442.
(i) July 2013 1227 / 796.
August 2013 1221 / 595.
September 2013 834 / 643.
October 2013 1192 / 931.
November 2013 846 / 667.
December 2013 957 / 616.
January 2014 1011 / 468.
February 2014 1097 / 347.
March 2014 1181 / 496.
April 2014 1091 / 542.
May 2014 1086 / 533.
June 2014 940 / 530.
(j) July 2014 1177 / 794.
August 2014 1064 / 498.
September 2014 1175 / 595.
October 2014 1374 / 813.
November 2014 1154 / 526.
On 1 December 2014 enhanced AvonLink services were introduced. This increased AvonLink services to 28 per week and reduced MerredinLink services to 2 per week.
December 2014 1777 / 284.
January 2015 1969 / 161.
February 2015 1787 / 138.
March 2015 1821 / 164.
April 2015 1728 / 277.
May 2015 2138 / 214.
June 2015 1856 / 192.
(k) July 2015 2397 / 416.
August 2015 1911 / 159.
September 2015 1985 / 327.
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