Train passengers travelling to Sydney airports will be required to add credit to their Opal cards before passing through the gates from January 7, under new measures to combat fare evasion. The technology, implemented by ticketing operator Cubic, aims to prevent passengers from tapping off with a negative balance, a loophole that has cost the state an estimated $8 million in lost revenue over four years.
The New South Wales Audit Office revealed that about 1.1 million Opal cards had negative balances, with 90 per cent of cases linked to the Airport Line. In the last financial year, $4 million was lost due to this practice, double the previous year, with more than half occurring in the year to June.
Commuters had exploited the system by tapping on with the minimum balance of $3.46 and then tapping off at the airport with a negative balance, thereby avoiding the $14.30 station access fee for adults and $12.80 for concession holders. A trip from Central station to the airport costs $18.70 one-way during peak hours, including the access fee.
Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the new measures would stop fare theft and allow the government to invest more in public transport. 'It's important everyone pays their way, and this technology will ensure that,' he told The Daily Telegraph. 'Anyone who is committing fraud is only cutting their nose to spite their face because it affects government's ability to deliver more services.'
Additionally, passengers purchasing Opal cards at the international and domestic airports will need a minimum of $35 on their cards, another recent measure to deter fare evasion. The new technology ensures commuters enter Sydney airport having paid the station access fee.
