CityRail has submitted a proposal for an increase in CityRail fares to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).

CityRail expects to invest around $780 million this financial year in upgrades to the network, electricity supply, overhead wiring and track.

CityRail has a commitment to rebuilding and growing the network. For that to continue we need to ensure our funding arrangements are fair and sustainable.

At the moment CityRail customers fund around one quarter of the $2.1 billion it costs to operate our services while the rest of the community is paying 69 per cent.

This is not a sustainable arrangement for any service.

CityRail is asking IPART to grant the following increases to CityRail fares:

• an increase in our single fares of 20 cents for journeys up to 35km, 40 cents for up to 75km, 60 cents for up to 175km and $1.00 for all longer trips;
• a weekly ticket increase of $2 increase for passengers whose one way journey is up to 35 kms or an increase of $3 for passengers travelling further;
• an increase of up to four per cent for off-peak children’s fares and DayTripper tickets; and
• an increase of $2 for all combined rail, bus and ferry weekly TravelPasses.

If approved, it’s expected the new fares will come into effect during the last quarter of 2007.

Visit the IPART website for more information.