Thousands slapped with fines for failing to tap SmartRider during free Sunday travel on trains and buses
Almost 7000 people have been stung with $100 fines for using public transport during times when it was supposed to be free.
New data revealed under Parliamentary questioning shows 6668 fines — more than 100 a week — were issued for ticketing issues since the start of the free travel in February 2024.
The almost $700,000 in fines were doled out because people failed to tag on with their SmartRider to use the train or bus on Sundays — a requirement to travel for free as part of the Government's program.
But those stung on Sundays haven't been the only passengers caught out, with more than 1000 students fined for failing to tag on under free travel to and from school. And over the 'free' summer period, more than 1100 people were also slapped with a ticket.
The cash-grab comes after the 'fines for travelling free' issue was raised during the State election campaign, with both the Liberals and the Greens calling for the infringements to be waived.
The Public Transport Authority's response to shadow transport minister Steve Martin's questions said the Sunday fines were only 0.143 per cent of passengers.
'Passengers always require a valid ticket to travel on Transperth services, unless stated otherwise. The condition for free travel on Sundays is the use of a SmartRider,' the answer said.
To access the free travel, passengers must tag on with a SmartRider, which can be purchased for $10, before requiring value added to the card.
Mr Martin criticised the fines issued by the Public Transport Authority.
'Labor's free public transport on Sunday obviously isn't free for everyone,' he said. 'Labor are handing out over 100 fines to travellers on public transport every Sunday despite claiming to offer free transport.
'Transport Minister Rita Saffioti is also clearly embarrassed by the amount of fines because she refused to answer questions on how much Western Australians are paying.'
Ms Saffioti said she believed the message was getting through to travellers about the need for a SmartRider.
'This is a part of the package — free public transport on Sunday, free public transport for kids going to school and we had the free summer of public transport.
'It's getting through. Most people have SmartRiders. People accept there's rules when you undertake free public transport, and that's one of the rules.
'We've introduced a range of initiatives. It's about getting people mobile, connected to their community, getting people out and about, and using our wonderful public transport system.'
Ms Saffioti spoke about the fines at the unveiling of the last diesel-powered Transperth bus, which will roll out of a Malaga factory on Wednesday.
Under a Labor election commitment, all future buses made in Western Australia will be electric, with Ms Saffioti saying the diesel fleet would be slowly phased out over the next two decades.
The new electric buses will be rolled out once local depots are upgraded with electric vehicle chargers. The first will be Malaga, with Karrinyup following afterwards and then Claisebrook.
'This is a very big initiative for the state. It means there's far less CO2 emissions, and every diesel bus on the network uses around 22,000 litres of diesel fuel each year,' she said. 'That equates to around 40 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
'Electric busses, of course, emit no CO2 emissions, and as we continue to work to decarbonise the entire electricity system, we know that this is going to be cleaner and cleaner through the future.'
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