Mr Batchelor said customers would be able to refer issues to the public transport industry ombudsman (PTIO) if they were dissatisfied with the initial handling of a complaint.
“Access to an independent complaints handling agency will restore the rights taken away from passengers when the Kennett Government privatised public transport,” he said.
“Before privatisation, passengers could raise public transport-related concerns with the Victorian Ombudsman.
“This option disappeared with privatisation, as privately owned companies do not fall within the Victorian Ombudsman’s charter.”
Mr Batchelor said that passengers would be able to have public transport related complaints dealt with independently and transparently by the industry ombudsman.
“The PTIO will inject a higher standard of accountability into the transport sector, raising the bar on the how complaints by Victorian public transport users are handled,” he said.
“Introduction of a public transport ombudsman has been carefully considered and developed in consultation with a range of interested parties.
“Public transport operators, unions, the Public Transport Users Association and the Consumer Law Centre support the introduction of a public transport industry ombudsman.”
At the moment, complaints about public transport services are referred to public transport operators, VicTrip, OneLink, the Director of Public Transport and the Minister’s office.
Mr Batchelor said while most complaints would be quickly dealt with by the supplier of the service to the customer’s satisfaction, the PTIO would offer an independent avenue for unresolved issues.
“The industry ombudsman will offer an avenue of recourse to everyone who is unhappy with how a complaint about public transport has been handled by the company,” he said.
“Passengers will be able to contact the PTIO with unresolved issues about Melbourne trams, trains and buses, country trains and coaches and the Stony Point Ferry.”
“Problems with suppliers of transport-related services such as OneLink (operators of Melbourne’s automatic ticketing system) and the Revenue Clearing House will also be handled by the PTIO.”
Mr Batchelor said the duties of the public transport ombudsman may be undertaken by the highly respected and successful Energy and Water Ombudsman’s office.
“While public transport is quite different from the electricity, gas and water industries, we are looking closely at the benefits of joining with the well-established Energy and Water Ombudsman,” he said.
A decision about whether to integrate public transport with the Energy and Water Ombudsman, or establish a stand alone ombudsman scheme, was expected by the end of the year, with the office likely to be open for business early in 2003.
A working group including the PTUA, Consumer Law Centre and private operators will be established immediately to work through details of how the Ombudsman will be established and operate.
Establishment costs for the PTIO will be covered by the Department of Infrastructure, with ongoing operational costs to be met by the public transport operators.