Metro to refund fares past 15-minute delay

Passengers will be eligible for a refund of fares if a Metro train is delayed for more than 15 minutes by a malfunction, according to a new regulation governing subway service that city transport officials handed to the lawmakers yesterday for final review and approval.

Tougher punishment also will be meted out to fare evaders such as those improperly using senior citizen transport cards or fake certificates, the regulation states. Fare evaders' names may be entered into a new credit blacklist that could affect their ability to get loans or jobs, officials said.

Improvement demanded

Passengers can ask for delay refunds with their ticket or card, according to the new Shanghai Metro Traffic Operation Regulation.

"Local passengers are urgently demanding that Metro operators improve information, inquiry and the delay management services," said Sun Jianping, director of the Shanghai Transport and Port Administration.

Evaders who jump over or slip under ticket turnstiles can be fined five time the highest single trip ticket price (currently 9 yuan) when caught, the regulation says. Ticket evaders improperly using senior citizen cards or fake certificates to get free rides will be fined 10 times the highest ticket price. The document will be confiscated and those found with fake certificates, such as military or disabled passes, also will be turned over to police.

Evaders blacklist

Fare evaders may have their identities entered into the blacklist introduced this year and linked to the city credit system, the authorities said. Those entered into the system will find it difficult to get home or other loans, officials said. It could also hamper their chances of getting an education or job in the city.

"It is necessary to impose harsher punishment, because the ticket evasion has not only disturbed the normal operations of the Metro system, but also is adverse to the city's credit for construction," Sun said.

Over 100,000 fare evaders were caught last year and a total of 500,000 yuan recovered from them.

The new rules also ban folded bikes on Metro trains.

The city government did not include a food ban on the Metro trains that was proposed by many local legislators.