IPART sets maximum fares that CityRail can charge for the passenger rail services it provides within the Greater Sydney region. The NSW Government has asked IPART to review and recommend a new economic regulatory framework that will create better incentives for CityRail to provide passenger rail services at efficient cost levels. At the same time IPART is to review CityRail’s current fares and determine new fares to apply from 2009.

IPART has begun to consider the findings and recommendations of its consultants, as well as other issues raised in the issues paper and the submissions made by the government and other stakeholders. The purpose of these discussion papers is to explain IPART’s preliminary analysis and views on some of the key issues related to its approach to fare setting and the 2009 fare determination. IPART seeks stakeholder comments on the discussion papers so IPART can take them into account in making its draft determination which is expected to be released in September 2008.