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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 7 Hansard (2 July) . . Page.. 2161 ..

The 4 a.m.. entitlement follows the announcement last month that transport will operate 24hours a day for the general public during the 16 days of the Olympic Games.

"The travel for holders of Olympic tickets will be Australia's biggest ever free transport operation and will underpin the public transport strategy for the Games," Mr Knight said.

"The free travel will be available on the CityRail network and the special Olympic bus routes to be established by The Olympic Roads and Transport Authority (ORTA).

"Olympic spectators will have free transport not only. to and from their events, but also unlimited travel on the Olympic transport system for other purposes over the relevant period.

"The decision to extend the entitlement until 4 a.m. will allow ticket holders to Combine their attendance at Olympic events with late night sightseeing and entertainment in the city and other areas.

"People living or staying in outer suburban and regional areas will be able to attend Olympic events, then travel free to places like The Rocks to join late night festivities and still travel home for free."

The cost of the transport services for spectators will be met from a lump sum received by ORTA from gross ticket revenues.

This lump sum has been factored into ticket prices by SOCOG, and includes the most expensive tickets - even those tickets of patrons who choose not to use the transport system.

Mr Knight said that to aid an easy flow of Olympic transport, spectators would not need to show anything other than an appropriately dated event ticket to travel.

"Queuing and crowding at railway stations will be minimised because spectators will not be required to use barriers operated by magnetic stripe tickets," Mr Knight said.

The free travel will cover more than 300 stations forming the CityRail Suburban and InnerCity Network - extending to Newcastle, Dungog and Scone in the Hunter Valley; Port Kembla and Bomaderry (Nowra) to the south; Goulburn to the south west; and through the Blue Mountains to Lithgow.

Buses covered by the scheme will fall into three main categories:

� Sydney Olympic Park regional bus routes: buses to Sydney Olympic Park at Homebush Bay on routes designed to complement the rail system;

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