Binning of Tcard not a foregone conclusion

Although it is in danger of losing a deal with the NSW government to implement a cashless public transport system in Sydney, automated ticketing company ERG Group believes the project will still go ahead.

ERG won the Tcard contract in 2003, to provide a single contactless ticketing system for all travel on bus, train, ferry, light rail and monorail services.

Transport Minister John Watkins issued a termination notice for the deal on 5 November, as he said the group has not met the terms of the agreement, despite having "every chance". Among the problems were the integrity of computer data, errors and drivers' checking of bus fares during a shift, he said.

Watkins said the termination notice gives Integrated Ticketing Solutions Ltd (ITSL), a subsidiary of ERG, 20 business days to meet "key milestones" or provide assurances on delivery of the system.

"We've not taken this latest step lightly but ITSL must do everything possible to meet their contractual agreements," Watkins said.

James Carroll, executive director for finance at ERG, however, told ZDNet Australia that part of the system is already working, with a trial currently underway on buses in the inner west. He added that the vast majority of the development of the rail ticketing system is complete, and that the solution is in advanced states of development and testing.

Carroll said that the company had been hindered by the "requirement ... to replicate in full the existing functionality of the state rail's system where the documentation has not been as complete as what we would like." He added: "In some instances it would have been nice to have received greater assistance."

ERG has already implemented systems in other major cities including Melbourne and Singapore and says it has not experienced similar problems in its other rollouts.

Carroll said that ERG will deliver detailed plans to the government by the end of the month which will present the company's ability to successfully complete the project. He is confident that the plans will be accepted.

According to Carroll, if all goes ahead, an integrated field trial with bus and rail could be running by the middle of next year.

The Public Transport Ticketing Corporation (PTTC), regulatory body responsible for establishing and managing a common ticketing and fare payment system in Sydney, declined to comment.

AAP contributed to this report.