Bargain Tickets Backfire On Govt

Illawarra Mercury

Wednesday May 31, 2000

A glitch in the CityRail computer system gave quick-thinking commuters even more of a bargain than the NSW Government intended when it offered cheap train rides.

The Government gift of a 20 per cent discount on all rail travel this week and a fare-free day today was announced with great fanfare last week by Transport Minister Carl Scully.

Mr Scully said the move was a goodwill gesture following weeks of breakdowns and delays on the CityRail system.

However, he ended up handing out more than the purse allowed when the CityRail computers calculating the discount failed to distinguish the weekly tickets from the more expensive monthly, quarterly and yearly tickets.

Those travelling from Hornsby to the City were able to save up to $300 on a yearly ticket while commuters from Newcastle to Sydney could have saved $534.

Sales for the longer term tickets doubled as word-of-mouth spread, thanks partly to a helpful Sydney radio station, and commuters rushed to buy the cheaper tickets.

CityRail spokesman Wayne Geddes said 850 of the longer term flexipass tickets were sold on Monday, more than double the 410 sold the previous Monday.

That equated to around $20,000 in revenue foregone by CityRail.

Calculations on yesterday's sale of tickets before a hasty ban was placed on their sale at 10.30am have not yet been finalised.

``We realised there was a problem this morning in the sense that a particular radio station was broadcasting the fact to all its listeners and we acted immediately," Mr Geddes said.

``If you program the software to apply a 20 per cent discount to weekly tickets, it applies it to monthly, quarterly, or yearly tickets."

NSW Opposition Leader Kerry Chikarovski, who had a $97 Turramurra to City monthly ticket bought for $77, called for Mr Scully's resignation.

``Mr Scully cannot blame the bureaucrats for this particular problem, this was his idea," she said.

``This was his publicity stunt, this was his way to try to grovel back and get some sort of respect from the community.

``This is one almighty stuff-up."

© 2000 Illawarra Mercury

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