The Sydney Chamber of Commerce has called on the New South Wales Government to fix the problems that led to the failure of the Tcard venture before it embarks on a new cashless ticketing system.
The chamber says an integrated public transport network is needed but it could be up to 10 years before such a system is in place.
The State Government yesterday cancelled the Tcard contract with Integrated Transit Solutions Limited (ITSL), which had promised to deliver the system by 2003.
ITSL had sought another revised completion date of February 2010 but Transport Minister John Watkins said the Government and commuters had run out of patience.
The Government is planning court action to recover $95 million of taxpayers' money from the project.
But Opposition transport spokeswoman Gladys Berejiklian is asking for more detail on why the project failed.
"Minister John Watkins has left so many questions unanswered in relation to his record as a Transport Minister," she said.
"He needs to explain why he was still writing cheques to the tune of $30 million in the last six months of this contract when he knew - he stated in Parliament - that he felt the contract was in doubt from back in August, September last year."
Sydney Chamber of Commerce executive director Patricia Forsythe says despite numerous failings in trials for the card, there were some success stories in school bus trials.
Ms Forsythe says the Government should fix the problems with the current system before trying again.
"The Government has to take leadership on this," she said.
"The Government has to use the opportunity of this fiasco to look at the system that's currently in place to see if we can simplify it before we try and overlay an integrated ticketing system...
"We are very much behind the Government getting in place a modern, efficient, integrated transport ticketing system.
"We certainly see this as an enormous setback for the image of Sydney and for being able to move forward as a modern, efficient city."
Union 'was reasonable'
The Transport Workers Union is also keen to move forward, saying it will work with the new company chosen to take over the implementation of an integrated system.
Union spokesman Josh McIntosh says the requirements set out by the union did not contribute to the contract's demise.
"The conditions put on the contract were for the benefit of both drivers and commuters in Sydney and were more than reasonable in providing a world-class service for Sydney's commuters," he said.
Mr McIntosh says the union will seek similar commitments in the future.
"The Transport Workers Union is committed to working with any new company who the State Government chooses to provide the service," he said.
"We are, for that matter, committed to working with the State Government to see a system implemented as quickly as possible for the sake of Sydney's commuters."
Source: By Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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