Month: February 2022

Rail services across NSW returned to a full schedule today, Monday 28 February. This comes just a week after the NSW Government spectacularly shut down the entire Sydney Trains network last monday, and also after months of COVID related timetable disruptions.

As of today, Sydney Trains will return to a full weekday timetable. This means that weekday Sydney Trains services will run every 3-4 minutes during peak times in the inner suburbs, with service frequencies of around 10 minutes for the rest of the metropolitan area.  NSW TrainLink Intercity services, NSW TrainLink Regional XPT and Xplorer services are planned to run as timetabled. 

Despite the move to increase services, industrial action by the Rail Tram and Bus Union continues this week. This brings to light the absurdity of the worker shutout conducted by the NSW Government last week. The Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) had notified the government of its plans for industrial action on February 9. It was due to run for two weeks from Monday, February 21.

Come February 21, the decision was made by the NSW Government to shutdown the entire Sydney Trains network due to ‘safety concerns’ relating to the industrial action by the RTBU. Train drivers were shutout from their workplaces and the entire city ground to a halt. Initially, the government attempted to place the blame on drivers for a so called ‘snap strike’. It quickly became clear this characterisation was incorrect and that instead of a strike, it was the Government who had shut down the rail network.

Although the Premier and Transport Minister both maintain they were not aware of the impending collapse of the rail network, it is clear that senior bureaucrats were well aware of the shutdown ahead of time. As early as Wednesday February 16, some five days before the shutdown, bureaucrats across Transport and Treasury were aware of the plans. In fact, it was proposed that the shutdown last for the entire two week period of the RTBU’s actions.

That didn’t happen. Just a week later, instead of the network being closed, it is being ramped up. This raises serious questions as to the legitimacy of the safety concerns that led to the network being shutdown. Similarly, serious questions need to be asked why the Premier and Transport Minister were so unaware of major decisions being made on behalf of their government.

Instead of celebrating the return to a full timetable this week, alongside the return of International Travel last week, the Premier and Transport Minister need to look at where things went off the rails.

Services on the L1 Dulwich Hill Line of the Sydney Light Rail network will resume this Saturday 12 February 2022. Services will along the full length of the line between Central and Dulwich Hill, with buses continuing to supplement services on both the L1 and L2 lines.

L1 Dulwich Hill Lines services will run between Central (Grand Concourse) and Dulwich Hill. These services will operate every 15 minutes between 6am and 11pm. Rolling stock from the South East system will be used, as the withdrawn Inner West rolling stock is still not operable.

This service resumption comes more than 100 days after services on the L1 line were suspended in late October due to cracks found in the Inner West rolling stock. Repairs to these trams are ongoing, with the rolling stock expected to return to service later this year.

Due to the reduced frequency on all lines due to COVID related frequency reductions and the shortage of rolling stock for the replacement Inner West service, Light Rail replacement buses will continue to operate during peak periods.

Two routes will operate to supplement light rail services. Transport for NSW will operate a shuttle between Central and The Star, whilst UNSW will operate a shuttle between Central and UNSW High Street. These services will operate on a continuous loop, with services on weekdays between 7am and 9:30am and 3:30pm and 7pm.