More commuters along the Werribee line are getting a free ride than on any other metropolitan train line, new Public Transport Victoria (PTV) figures reveal.
PTV’s most recent fare compliance report reveals that 3.3 per cent of commuters along the Werribee line had been caught travelling without a valid ticket in the six months to October last year.
South Morang-Hurstbridge line commuters (3.1 per cent) and Frankston line commuters (2.9 per cent) rounded out the top three fare-evading lines.
Across the metropolitan train network, an average 2.6 per cent of commuters were caught out without a valid ticket, totalling $27 million in lost passenger fares.
Meanwhile, 8.1 per cent of people taking the bus from Pacific Werribee were also caught out for not paying for their rides over the same period.
The figures come after the state government abolished on-the-spot fines for fare evaders at the end of 2016.
Instead, fare evaders will be stung with a $229 fine and have to provide their names and addresses, so their offences can be recorded.
Public transport minister Jacinta Allan said, under the old regime of $75 on-the-spot fines, a passenger could be caught not paying for their travel more than 20 times in one year and still pay less than the cost of a regular zone one and two yearly pass.
“Under our simpler and more effective enforcement system, there will be nowhere for serial fare evaders to hide,” she said.
