A hike in public transport fares is unjustified because there has been a spike in users, PKR information chief Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said today.

Citing a 2014 Government Transportation Programme (GTP) report, he said the number of rail users during peak hours rose 23 percent to 685,706 people in 2014.

Overall, there was a four percent rise in peak hour public transport users in 2014, compared to the year before and it is targeted to grow by 9 percent to 500,000 in 2015.

“The statistics show that the number of peak hour passengers grew year on year.

“That is from 6am to 10am. Considering all-hour operations, one would expect the total growth to be even bigger.

“Can’t this growth sustain operations and maintenance costs?” he asked in a statement.

Syed Ibrahim said the government’s household expenditure survey for 2014 showed that the average household spends 14.6 percent of its income on public transport and fare hikes would severely affect urban dwellers.

He said a journey from UKM to KL Sentral on the KTM Komuter now costs RM3 more one way or the equivalent of RM120 a month for those using it to travel to work or university five times a week.

“The government must review the public transport fare hikes immediately, including revising the concession agreements and revealing them to the public,” he said.

“There is no point saying sweet nothings in speeches when the people are not really the priority.”

ERL fares up, too

Klang Valley rail transport users fumed as they faced the first day of fare hikes yesterday, with KTM Komuter fares rising up to 58 percent in some instances.

The fare for Express Rail Link to KLIA from KL Sentral will also go up from RM35 to RM55 one way starting Jan 1.

There will also be fare hikes for the KL Transit which serves commuters travelling between Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Cyberjaya.

The monthly travel card will cost RM420, up from RM350.

This comes after 18 Klang Valley highway concessionaires raised their toll rates by up to 100 percent.