Latest news with #PublicTransportAuthority
West Australian
21-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
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.'
Arab News
21-05-2025
- Arab News
Shoura Council calls for metro systems in major Saudi cities
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Shoura Council has called for studies into developing metro systems in the Kingdom's major cities, Asharq Al-Awsat has reported. On Tuesday, the council urged the Public Transport Authority to expand the training programs offered by the Saudi Logistics Academy. Council members also emphasized the importance of improving the standards used to evaluate the quality of shuttle transport services for pilgrims to ensure efficiency. They stressed the need to increase the passenger capacity of the Kingdom's railway network and to raise train speeds to match those of the Haramain High-Speed Railway, which spans the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah and offers transport for pilgrims. Riyadh's metro network opened in December last year and became fully operational in January. The Kingdom also has a passenger railway network connecting Riyadh with the Eastern Province and Northern Borders regions. One of the country's goals under Vision 2030 is to improve the public transport network with the aims of easing traffic congestion in cities and lowering carbon emissions.
Al-Ahram Weekly
11-04-2025
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt raises public transport fares after fuel hike but maintains bread prices - Society
Cairo Governorate announced a 10 percent increase in public and group transport fares across Greater Cairo, while the Ministry of Supply announced keeping subsidized bread prices at their present rate. The announcements follow the Petroleum Products Pricing Committee's decision to raise gasoline and diesel prices starting Friday. The governorate increased fares on average by approximately 10 percent for most routes, with fares rising to 15 percent for longer routes. Tickets for buses operating on Public Transport Authority lines will be EGP 10 for standard and EGP 20 for air-conditioned buses. Meanwhile, group transport companies operating on other lines have raised the price of tickets for standard minibuses to EGP 16 and EGP 19 for air-conditioned minibuses. Cairo Governor Ibrahim Saber stated that the new fares consider the length and number of trips on each route to ensure fairness. He also noted that the Cairo governorate coordinated with neighbouring governorates with shared routes to standardize pricing and prevent commuter exploitation. Furthermore, Saber emphasized that the updated fares balance the interests of passengers and drivers, adding that banners and stickers displaying the new fare prices have been prominently placed at the entrances of all transport terminals to ensure transparency for passengers. Similarly, other governorates announced similar fare increases in public and group transport. Meanwhile, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Sherif Farouk affirmed that the price of subsidized Baladi bread remains fixed at 20 piastres per loaf for ration card holders. He noted that the ministry carefully considers all cost components and subsidized bread production inputs, including updated diesel prices. On Thursday, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources raised the prices of all types of gasoline, diesel, industrial mazut, gas for brick factories, and butane by 11.7 to 33 percent, effective Friday, 11 April. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
CairoScene
28-03-2025
- CairoScene
New Bus Services Introduced to Ease Eid Congestion at Public Parks
New bus services to parks and tourist spots will work to reduce congestion during Eid celebrations. Mar 28, 2025 The Public Transport Authority has completed preparations for Eid al-Fitr with an operational plan intended to meet citizens' needs throughout the holiday. Public transport services will be provided across Cairo, with a focus on areas heavily frequented during Eid, such as public parks, where additional buses and reduced waiting times are expected to alleviate overcrowding. Executive bodies in Cairo are expected to strengthen monitoring at service stations to prevent exploitation and fare increases during the Eid period. Public transport operations will be coordinated among the Public Transport Authority's lines, mass transit, and metro lines to improve traffic flow and operational efficiency. New vehicles and routes have been introduced to accommodate increased demand, particularly in recreational areas and public parks throughout Greater Cairo. Special bus services will operate during the Eid holiday, providing access to popular parks including Qanater Khayreya City, International Garden, 6th of October Park, Al-Azhar Park, Badr Park, and the Japanese Garden. The number of buses allocated to these parks will be increased based on real-time monitoring of passenger flows. An electronic vehicle tracking system (GPS) has been activated to enhance the monitoring and management of bus operations. The Authority's operations room will operate continuously, gathering operational information through a wireless network covering terminal stations, garages, and facilities throughout Greater Cairo. Vehicles designated for Eid holiday service have been reviewed to ensure proper technical condition, cleanliness, and appearance. The Field Supervision Department has implemented a plan to deploy working groups across Greater Cairo to address emergencies, manage congestion, and adjust routes when necessary.
