$2.50 confirmed
Yes, once again I was able to travel on the local buses for $2.50.
Just what does this mean? Well the ticket itself is called a "Pensioner Excursion" ticket and has in the past been available on public travel for anyone on a aged pension or (which is what I'm on) a disability allowance. For $2.50 I can travel anywhere within the "metro area"on trains, ferries and buses. That "metro area" also includes travel down to and around Sydney (130km+) and I think all the way up to (300km+ by train)Katoomba!
It used to be $1.10, but that got you as far as Gosford, and to go all the way to Sydney cost $3.30 (the 10c and 30c is GST). But at the same time, the private bus company was an added cost. It cost $1.70 to get the Glendale one way, and $2.10 to get to the university one way. This meant that shopping trips via the bus cost $3.40 even before I got to the public transport net, and a round trip to the university was $4.10.
It doesn't sound like much, but on an income of less than $9000 a year, every bit counts. And going to university five days a week (as I was full time) cost $20.50. It was cheaper to run the car because on LPG that would get me 5 round trips plus. However back then prices of LPG ranged between 30-40c / litre, and they're now 56c+ /litre.
So what am I saying? That it might just, since now a $2.0 ticket covers local private buses as well as the public ones, be feasible to use it instead of the car for most things. Of course there are still problems.
The last bus from uni goes at 6:06pm on weekday (and gets me to Barnsley at 6:51 pm. There is a later bus that leaves the Wallsend shops at 7:10pm, and gets here at 7:39pm, but that's it (and I'd have to get to Wallsend via public buses first). The last bus from Charlestown (weekdays) leaves at 6:14pm and only gets to the crossroads (I'd have to swap to the 6:06pm bus from the Uni).
The last bus from Barnsley on a Saturday at 4:31pm. If I was going to Sydney (say, for a Nightclub) I'd have to leave extremely early. It's a far cry from driving to a Station about 8:30pm and getting to Central just before midnight! And coming back by train, well the first bus from Cardiff Station goes at 9:28am. It can be done, but maybe while I have my car, it still has its uses.
Then again, maybe travelling down with friends has also become more attractive. Hmmm. I might (for the most part) become a model (public transport) citizen.