old articles on tcard litigation

For those have not read these articles:
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Iemma turning Sydney into joke
Sunanda Creagh in Singapore and Linton Besser
June 27, 2008
COMMUTERS have long given up on the NSW
Government over its transport record. Now an international transport leader says the
Government's botched handling of the Tcard has left the state with a "very bad reputation".
Sydney's disastrous six-year foray into integrated transport ticketing, which has deteriorated into a
$200 million legal stoush between the Government and the Tcard contractor, ERG, has earned the
city worldwide notoriety, according to the head of the International Association of Public Transport.
Its secretary-general, Hans Rat, directly blamed the Iemma Government for the debacle while
attending the World Cities Summit in Singapore this week.
"You have a very bad reputation," he told the Herald yesterday. "You have politicians who treat the
management of transport companies in a way they don't feel safe."
Last night there was more chaos on Sydney's rail network when about 200 passengers were
trapped for 45 minutes in a tunnel after a train broke down on the Eastern Suburbs line, near
Edgecliff. The breakdown halted all services towards Bondi Junction and delayed return services on
the Illawarra line.
The train lost power because of an electrical surge just before 7pm, said a RailCorp spokeswoman,
Marianne McCabe.
Ms McCabe said trains to Bondi Junction resumed just before 8pm, but all services on the line
continued to be "significantly delayed."
One Bronte resident who boarded a crowded train delayed at Town Hall said there were
announcements that there was "a blockage" on the line. "They said tickets would be honoured on
the buses, but there were no announcements of any extra buses."
While some people left the station to look for another way home, "others just sat on the train,
looking confused".
The attack from Mr Rat directly undermines the Government's claim that its business record has
not been tarnished by a string of recent failures, including the Tcard fiasco and the financial
problems of the Lane Cove and Cross City tunnels.
It suggests the Government will have problems finding international partners for transport projects
such as the metro line.
The Government is pursuing $90 million in damages from ERG, claiming the Tcard was so far
behind schedule it had to cancel the agreement. ERG has lodged a $200 million counter-suit,
alleging the Government was the direct cause of many delays.
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Mr Rat said the way the Tcard contract was handled, and the resulting court case, had damaged
the state's image.
"Everywhere in the world, where change of ticketing systems is occurring, if there is no teamwork
from the departments and the management of public transport companies, it will fail," he said. "In
NSW, you throw away two CEOs a year."
Mr Rat, who represents public transport operators and transport authorities in 90 countries, said
uncertainty discouraged innovation.
"You create a situation where everyone is hiding. A massive change in ticketing means you need
people who form a team and take risks together," he said.
The smartcard project, which was mooted 15 years ago, collapsed in January, when the Minister
for Transport, John Watkins, terminated a $367 million, 10-year agreement to roll out the cards for
commuters.
The Tcard was meant to usher in an era of seamless interchange between bus, rail and ferry, faster
travel times, and through the capture of real-time data, to spark a revolution in public transport
planning.
But with the project in tatters, CityRail, State Transit and private bus companies will struggle to
collect fares efficiently.
After a nightmare week of traffic chaos and slumping poll figures for the Government, Mr Iemma
has one consolation - Parliament finishes this week until September 23.
The Opposition Leader, Barry O'Farrell, demanded the Premier abandon the traditional winter break
and stop "hiding from scrutiny".