Penn Station LIRR riders to be 'fairly compensated'

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Long Island Rail Road will provide discounts averaging 25 percent to commuters who use transfer hubs in Brooklyn and Queens during the major repair work at Penn Station this summer.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said Tuesday that the fare cuts will apply to passengers traveling to Atlantic Terminal and Hunterspoint Avenue.

The LIRR will provide free morning rush hour subway transfers from those stations.

MTA Interim Director Ronnie Hakim says the plan will help draw customers away from Penn Station during the Amtrak work.

The discounts, which take effect July 10, are based on the distance passengers are traveling. Discounted monthly tickets for July are now available.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for reduced fares on Monday.

The repair work also will disrupt New Jersey Transit and Amtrak service.

The head of the agency that runs the Long Island Rail Road says riders will be "fairly compensated" for being inconvenienced by construction work this summer at Pennsylvania Station.

Veronique "Ronnie" Hakim made the statement after Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for lower fares earlier Monday. Hakim is the interim executive director of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The MTA is governed by a 17-member board. The majority of its members are appointed by the governor.

Amtrak is performing repair work at Penn Station that will cause LIRR, NJ Transit and Amtrak service disruptions.

Besides schedule changes, buses and ferry service is being offered to some affected travelers.

LIRR Commuter Council Chairman Mark Epstein says riders should get fare reductions.

Hakim's statement did not elaborate on what "fairly compensated" means.