WA commuters will have to pay only one flat fare across buses, trains and ferries to anywhere in Perth under a new cost-of-living sweetener pitched by Labor ahead of the State Election.
Roger Cook on Sunday revealed a re-elected Labor Government would drop the two-zone fare to the same as a one-zone trip, meaning that a SmartRider fare from the city’s outskirts would be capped at $2.80.
The changes — which would not take effect until January next year — will cost more than $107 million.
“If re-elected, a WA Labor Government will abolish the old nine-zone system and permanently put in place a single suburban flat fare,” the Premier told reporters at Joondalup train station.
“The most you’ll pay to get around our city with a SmartRider is $2.80, from Yanchep to Mandurah, Ellenbrook to Fremantle and out to Byford.”
“This policy will save regular commuters around $625 a year. There’s more than 80,000 Western Australians who travel two zones or more on our trains and buses every day.”
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the cost for a two-zone fare would drop from $4.16 to $2.80 for patrons using an auto-loaded SmartRider.
They would pay $2.90 per journey on a non-autoload SmartRider while a standard cash fare for the same trip would cost $3.50.
“We know from a cost-of-living perspective, public transport is a great economical way to move around our suburbs,” she said.
“It connects people to jobs and opportunity. It connects people to education institutions, and it makes sure that families have choices when it comes to moving around their suburbs.”
Public transport has been free for SmartRider holders between December 14 and February 5.
Asked why the government did not make public transport free all the time, Ms Saffioti said fares were necessary.
“The advice that we’ve had is that it’s always good to have some cost in relation to moving around,” she said. “In particular, it helps manage the patronage. We believe now we’ve got one of the cheapest public transport packages across the nation.”
Ms Saffioti said a trial to allow patrons to tag on and off using their smartphones instead of a SmartRider card was nearing completion.
“That trial is going very successfully and we hope to be finalising that trial and having it rolled out by the middle of this year,” she said.
The policy will also extend to regional services in cities such as Geraldton and Bunbury, which operate a two-zone system.
The pledge comes three years after Labor dumped the former nine-zone system from January 2022 — limiting all fares to a maximum of two zones — drastically reducing fares for those living in the city’s outer suburbs.
Liberal leader Libby Mettam said she would support any measure that would take pressure off WA households, but questioned why the Cook government had not slashed fares earlier during its eight years in power.
“We have committed to scrapping the fines for those who want to undertake public transport,” she said.
“What a cruel measure on one hand for Roger Cook to say public transport would be free, and then on the other, if you don’t have your SmartRider card, you’ll be hit with a fine because of that.”