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Price shock for commuters as Sydneysiders recalled to work

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Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Victor Dominello, said residents could book an appointment with a cost of living specialist at Service NSW and find an average of $600 a year in savings.

“We understand how tough it is for many families and household budgets right now,” Mr Dominello said.

“There are more than 70 rebates and savings available to households to help ease the cost of living. We’ve brought all the information under the one roof to make it easier for people to save money.”

He added regularly using the government’s free Fuel Check app to find the cheapest petrol could save a further $500 a year.

Leigh Merrington, director of CPI at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, said transport accounts for 10.6 per cent of the overall consumer price index, and this was downgraded from 10.7 per cent before the pandemic to take account of widespread working from home.

For Sydneysiders who have continued commuting, many rely more heavily on their cars than before the pandemic because of fears about exposure to COVID-19 on public transport.

Transport for NSW figures show there were 1.1 million trips on public transport in the week starting February 7, 56 per cent lower than the 2.5 million trips a week before the pandemic.

By comparison, road usage across Greater Sydney for the same week was only 9 per cent lower than before the pandemic.

Labor’s spokeswoman for transport Jo Haylen said the government needed to do more to encourage passengers to use public transport, including reviewing the fare structure, but first they needed to restore confidence.

“Cancellations and delays have become the new normal across the network because the government bought overseas-built trains that didn’t fit the tracks, trams riddled with cracks and ferries that can’t cross the harbour,” Ms Haylen said.

NSW public transport fares went up 1.5 per cent last July, ahead of the national average of 1 per cent cited by the CPI index based on 700 sample journeys.

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The pandemic has also prompted many Sydneysiders to look for bigger houses and sparked a trend of moving to outer suburbs or commuter towns like the Central Coast, Southern Highlands and the Blue Mountains. One Central Coast commuter told The Sun-Herald she spent $42.50 on tolls and half a tank of petrol every day she had to drive to work, and it also took two hours each way.

The Bureau of Statistics lists other costs contributing to the jump in transport costs in the December quarter, including a 6.3 per cent rise in the price of new motor vehicles, a 4.5 per cent rise for spare parts and accessories and a 4.3 per cent rise for repair costs. Costs such as registration and licence fees, road tolls and parking remained stable.

The Perrottet government is reviewing the patchwork of tolls on Sydney’s road network in what could become a key issue ahead of the 2023 state election, as Labor sharpens its focus on cost of living. Most of Sydney’s tolls increase by 4 per cent per year or at the rate of inflation, whichever is higher.

Jake Mullane, a service manager in the construction industry, commutes every day by car from his home in Sans Souci to his workplace in the city and “avoids tolls at all cost”.

Mr Mullane said he spends $60 a week on fuel and that was probably $10 higher than a few months ago. He carpools with a colleague who usually covers the cost of parking, a further $11-15 a day.

Jake Mullane commutes from Sans Souci to the city each day.Credit:Nick Moir

There is also the extra wear and tear on his car – he has just hit 60,000 kilometres, which means he is due for a service that will cost $1300.

“The cost definitely plays on my mind – it’s a lot more expensive option to drive, and it does add up,” Mr Mullane said.

Mr Mullane said he kept commuting throughout the pandemic and switched to public transport when most people were working from home because he had it to himself. But when he took the train recently, “it was like sardines, everyone was packed in”.

It was also quicker to drive, which allowed him to fit in going to the gym.

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Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Victor Dominello, said residents could book an appointment with a cost of living specialist at Service NSW and find an average of $600 a year in savings.

“We understand how tough it is for many families and household budgets right now,” Mr Dominello said.

“There are more than 70 rebates and savings available to households to help ease the cost of living. We’ve brought all the information under the one roof to make it easier for people to save money.”

He added regularly using the government’s free Fuel Check app to find the cheapest petrol could save a further $500 a year.

Leigh Merrington, director of CPI at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, said transport accounts for 10.6 per cent of the overall consumer price index, and this was downgraded from 10.7 per cent before the pandemic to take account of widespread working from home.

For Sydneysiders who have continued commuting, many rely more heavily on their cars than before the pandemic because of fears about exposure to COVID-19 on public transport.

Transport for NSW figures show there were 1.1 million trips on public transport in the week starting February 7, 56 per cent lower than the 2.5 million trips a week before the pandemic.

By comparison, road usage across Greater Sydney for the same week was only 9 per cent lower than before the pandemic.

Labor’s spokeswoman for transport Jo Haylen said the government needed to do more to encourage passengers to use public transport, including reviewing the fare structure, but first they needed to restore confidence.

“Cancellations and delays have become the new normal across the network because the government bought overseas-built trains that didn’t fit the tracks, trams riddled with cracks and ferries that can’t cross the harbour,” Ms Haylen said.

NSW public transport fares went up 1.5 per cent last July, ahead of the national average of 1 per cent cited by the CPI index based on 700 sample journeys.

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The pandemic has also prompted many Sydneysiders to look for bigger houses and sparked a trend of moving to outer suburbs or commuter towns like the Central Coast, Southern Highlands and the Blue Mountains. One Central Coast commuter told The Sun-Herald she spent $42.50 on tolls and half a tank of petrol every day she had to drive to work, and it also took two hours each way.

The Bureau of Statistics lists other costs contributing to the jump in transport costs in the December quarter, including a 6.3 per cent rise in the price of new motor vehicles, a 4.5 per cent rise for spare parts and accessories and a 4.3 per cent rise for repair costs. Costs such as registration and licence fees, road tolls and parking remained stable.

The Perrottet government is reviewing the patchwork of tolls on Sydney’s road network in what could become a key issue ahead of the 2023 state election, as Labor sharpens its focus on cost of living. Most of Sydney’s tolls increase by 4 per cent per year or at the rate of inflation, whichever is higher.

Jake Mullane, a service manager in the construction industry, commutes every day by car from his home in Sans Souci to his workplace in the city and “avoids tolls at all cost”.

Mr Mullane said he spends $60 a week on fuel and that was probably $10 higher than a few months ago. He carpools with a colleague who usually covers the cost of parking, a further $11-15 a day.

Jake Mullane commutes from Sans Souci to the city each day.

Jake Mullane commutes from Sans Souci to the city each day.Credit:Nick Moir

There is also the extra wear and tear on his car – he has just hit 60,000 kilometres, which means he is due for a service that will cost $1300.

“The cost definitely plays on my mind – it’s a lot more expensive option to drive, and it does add up,” Mr Mullane said.

Mr Mullane said he kept commuting throughout the pandemic and switched to public transport when most people were working from home because he had it to himself. But when he took the train recently, “it was like sardines, everyone was packed in”.

It was also quicker to drive, which allowed him to fit in going to the gym.

Stay across the most crucial developments related to the pandemic with the Coronavirus Update. Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter.

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