Commuters jump off trains

Public transport patronage has plummeted, with major city projects having a big impact on recent rail and ferry services.

One million fewer people caught the train in July, August and September compared with the previous year - a dramatic decline blamed mostly on rail shutdowns for the Perth City Link project.

Ferry patronage in September was the lowest monthly tally in five years and the worst September in more than a decade, a trend attributed to disruptions from the Elizabeth Quay development and poor weather.

Although transport officials expected fewer patrons, the severity of the decline was a surprise.

A senior public servant said evidence from overseas was that people who stopped using public transport "for one reason or another" sometimes did not return.

The two six-day shutdowns may have contributed to the fall in patronage in July and August, but could not be blamed for the September figures.

Shadow transport minister Ken Travers said a number of factors were behind the slump.

Peak-hour overcrowding was a big deterrent and, with no significant expansions to public transport infrastructure in recent years, there was little to attract new commuters.

Mr Travers said he heard anecdotal evidence that unplanned disruptions to trains were beginning to annoy commuters.

Transperth spokesman David Hynes agreed several factors were behind the decline, notably shutdowns and poor weather.

"The Weather Bureau reported Perth had its wettest September in 40 years and the least sunny September in 12 years," Mr Hynes said. "We find that during the very wintry months, some commuters choose their car over public transport."

He said Elizabeth Quay works were likely to be a big contributor to the patronage decline on ferries, as was the weather.

The slump comes after several years of remarkable growth for public transport in Perth. In just six years, annual patronage jumped from 100 million to nearly 150 million people in 2012-13.

This year, Curtin University sustainability expert Peter Newman said this growth was "remarkable, higher than predicted" and "difficult to see how it can be sustained".

He said ferries would never be a viable public transport option in Perth until riverside developments were completed.