Tagging on for free travel with SmartRider a sign of ‘respect for the system' says Rita Saffioti
Rules mandating passengers tag on to public transport to travel for free show 'respect for the system,' Acting Premier Rita Saffioti believes.
Speaking after The West Australian reveal almost 7000 people had been fined for travelling without a ticket on free Sundays since last year, Ms Saffioti maintained the message was getting through to patrons.
'I am absolutely confident that the community has the message,' Ms Saffioti said.
'We're talking about respect today, there are rules when you catch public transport, and the rule is to catch a free public transport, you need a SmartRider.
'We have millions of SmartRiders out there in the community. We've run programs for people to access our SmartRiders, but it's a basic rule, and it's a basic part of the respect of the system and making sure, in particular, that everyone abides by the rules.'
The minister said the rates of those fined represented less than one per cent of all riders.
'(There are) 99.86 per cent who abide by the rules who don't feel like they've been taken advantage of.
'If people have been fined, and there's legitimate reasons why they didn't have a smart rider, they can apply to the PTA to have that to have that fine waived.
New data revealed under Parliamentary questioning showed 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.
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