Perth Voice Interactive

FACEBOOK gripes, planned pyjama protests and mass petitions have greeted the WA government’s decision to cancel late-night trains.

The Perth public, rarely this upset over an issue not involving football, has reacted furiously to the dumping of 1am and 2am weekend trains from April.

PTA media hound David Hynes says the late-night carriages are underutilised and uneconomical. With an average of 80 people per train, he calculates taxpayers are shelling out $17 per person, and ending them will save $1.5 million a year. The late runs also hold up maintenance and require more hours for staff in customer service and security.

But that doesn’t wash with Perth’s train-going public who reckon late-night trains come with the territory of being a capital city.

They’ve debunked claims of poor patronage by posting photos showing packed carriages.

Perth city councillor Reece Harley describes the cut as a “ludicrous, counter-productive and illogical decision”.

Trains are a public service and should be subsidised just like schools and hospitals. He’s imploring people to write to WA transport minister Dean Nalder—a former banking executive and unlikely train commuter—to oppose the decision.

A petition by Bateman man Luke Pickersgill has garnered 7479 supporters in three days. He says the plan disadvantages people without a car who’ll have no other choice than expensive taxis.
Not even the whiff of more business makes the Taxi Industry Forum happy: it reckons the new flood of people trying to get home could lead to trouble for drivers as aggravated punters feud over scarce cabs. The Australian Hotels Association is likewise fuming about the lack of consultation.

Social media hasn’t shaken the PTA from its stance, but it’s yet to encounter the five-minutes-past-midnight pyjama protest planned for 12.05am at Forrest Chase on March 6.

by DAVID BELL