t card

Backlash fears delay smartcard
Imre Salusinszky
DECEMBER 18, 2006

THE introduction of a $370 million smartcard ticketing system for Sydney's trains, buses and ferries is being stalled by the NSW Labor Government, with commuter trials now highly unlikely to begin before the March 24 state election.

The company being paid to develop and operate the "Tcard" says it would already be testing the system with commuters, except the Government has a "different view" on its readiness.
The claim by the chief executive of the West Australian-based ERG Group, Allan Sullivan, has led the state Opposition to accuse the Government of stalling on the Tcard because, with an election only 14 weeks away, it fears a political backlash from commuters if there are teething problems.

Opposition transport spokeswoman Gladys Berejiklian compared the delay to the Government's announcement last week that it would pay Connector Motorways $25 million to put off surface road changes around the new Lane Cove Tunnel, on Sydney's lower north shore.

"It is unacceptable to delay significant public transport projects for political gain," Ms Berejiklian said.

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"The Labor Government has treated commuters and taxpayers with contempt, promising them an integrated ticketing system since 1998."

The Government's decision to delay the road changes around the Lane Cove Tunnel followed the traffic and political chaos that accompanied the opening of the Cross City Tunnel last year.

Once it is introduced, the Tcard will provide commuters in greater metropolitan Sydney with a single ticketing system for all government and private rail, bus and ferry services.

The system uses a smartcard that can be topped up with credits. ERG has introduced similar systems in Melbourne, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Rome and Singapore.

In his annual report to ERG shareholders last month, chairman Colin Henson said: "We are pleased with the development and system testing for the Sydney project, and I emphasise that we believe we are now ready to commence the field trialling of the system within the bus and rail environments."

A spokeswoman for NSW Transport Minister John Watkins said a full trial of the system, originally scheduled for 2005, would now have to wait until 2007. But a trial using volunteer transport staff would begin before the end of the year.

"Testing and trialling of the system is vital to ensure we do not disrupt normal transport operations during the implementation phase of this new system," she said. "The new system will only be introduced when it is proven and ready."

Any delay of Tcard's introduction carries a heavy cost for cash-strapped ERG, with a payment worth $57 million not due until the system is operational.

A spokesman for the Public Transport Ticketing Corporation, the statutory authority set up to oversee the Tcard's implementation, said the Government "has repeatedly said it will not allow the system to be rolled out before it is thoroughly tested and proven, as this is not in the public interest".

The Australian