Transperth refunding SmartRider fares

Transperth is refunding the fares of commuters caught up in yesterday’s rail disruptions.

PTA Managing Director Mark Burgess said today all SmartRider transactions prior to 3pm yesterday would be credited back to cardholder accounts.

“It is standard operating procedure for us to credit SmartRiders when we have a problem like yesterday’s,” Mr Burgess said.

“Fortunately it doesn’t happen often, and virtually never on yesterday’s scale.”

An electrical fault just east of Perth Station started a small fire and caused extensive damage to Transperth’s railway power distribution system around 7am yesterday.  The Fremantle Line closed altogether while Midland trains ran only as far as Bassendean and Armadale trains only as far as Cannington.

The damage was repaired and normal services resumed around 2pm.

Mr Burgess said that, though the Mandurah and Joondalup lines were not directly affected, the credit would be extended to them because many of those travellers would have been looking to transfer to the affected lines in Perth.

“We are crediting bus passengers for the same reason – many of them had transferred to the affected lines, or had been planning to do so,” he said.

“For operational reasons, the refunds may take up to a week to come through.

“The offer is not being extended to people who bought cash tickets, but we know that about 85 per cent of regular peak-hour rail commuters have SmartRiders.”

He said the refund was expected to represent about $320,000 in foregone revenue.