WA mining downturn hits public transport

Public transport is the latest casualty of Western Australia's mining downturn, with a large drop in patrons using trains and buses.

Perth Transport Authority thought a glitch in the system was responsible for the fall in use of public transport in 2013/14, the first decrease in more than 15 years.

"With the benefit of hindsight we now see it as one of the early indicators that the WA economy had plateaued after years of growth," PTA spokesman David Hynes said.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports WA's population growth rate has fallen by about 70 per cent since 2011/12.

Anecdotal evidence estimates 20,000 jobs have disappeared in the Perth CBD, equalling 10 million public transport trips a year, Mr Hynes said.

The PTA puts the fall in family and all-day tickets down to passengers spending less on leisure activities due to shrinking disposable incomes.

But ferry use has doubled in the past two years due to the opening of the Elizabeth Quay foreshore development in January 2016, increasing passengers by 25.3 per cent to about 748,000 in 2016/17 and leading to more ferry services over the summer season.