Commuters hoping to use the train network to get around Sydney for major events and go Christmas shopping on Saturday and in coming days have been urged to find other options as delays and cancellations will worsen amid ongoing rail industrial action.
Sydney Trains has told passengers that close to 40 per cent of its services on Saturday have been or will be cancelled or delayed, up from 30 per cent on the previous day.
The lines most impacted are the T1 North Shore and Western, T2 Leppington and Inner West, T3 Liverpool and Inner West, and T8 Airport and South, with some 350 services axed and commuters forced to wait 45 minutes to one hour between trains.
Commuters are warned of delays and cancellations on the Sydney rail network on Saturday and in coming days amid a union’s ongoing industrial action. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw
Sydney Trains chief Matt Longland said rail staff are prioritising services to Sydney’s Airport, as it is one of the busiest days of travel for the year ahead of Christmas.
There are three major events happening in the city on Saturday including the Randwick races in the afternoon and Carols in the Domain and Big Bash cricket at night.
Mr Longland advised people attending those events to use alternative public transport options, or to drive, warning it will become “increasingly difficult” to get a train.
Passengers travelling on the rail network are being encouraged to check the timetable on apps and the Transport NSW website regularly as information is being updated.
The continuing cancellation and delays are stemming from the NSW government and Rail, Tram and Bus Union’s battle over a 32 per cent pay rise over four years.
State Transport Minister Jo Haylen hit out at the union again on Saturday, saying the action from the RTBU is having a “significant impact” ahead of Christmas.
“There is a really big difference between what the union says and what the union does,” she said, calling out RTBU NSW Secretary Toby Warnes who on Friday in a press conference said the strikes would have a “minimal impact” across the city.
“We are seeing real impacts, not only on passengers, and families, and workers… but also on businesses. We have already heard people have started cancelling bookings.
“We don’t want that. We want certainty and we want people to be able to get where they need to go, particularly on New Year’s Eve.”
NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen hit out at the union on Saturday. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb warned on Friday she may have to recommend cancelling the New Year’s Eve fireworks on December 31 over safety concerns.
She flagged events across the city could be axed if police could not guarantee the safety of commuters given there will be widespread delays on the rail network.
Comm Webb said police each year planned its response on the basis that 250,000 people train into the Harbour City for the fireworks and other festivities.
“Leaving the city is based on access to (public) transport, including trains,” she said.
“And if trains aren’t available and people can’t leave the city, I have very large concerns of the risk that will create to the public.”
Business NSW has forecast a loss of $98m to the economy if the multi-million dollar display in Sydney, beamed across the world, is cancelled.
Ms Haylen told reporters on Saturday no level of industrial action is tolerable at this time of year.
“I’m calling on the union to withdraw their actions, allow families to celebrate this time of the year and provide businesses with the certainty that they need,” she said.
“This is not a game. We cannot have ongoing industrial action at this time of the year, particularly over New Year’s Eve. No amount of industrial action is tolerable.”
Police said Sydney’s NYE fireworks could be axed over safety concerns relating to the Rail, Tram and Bus Union potentially striking that day. Picture: Roni Bintang/Getty Images
The Transport Minister apologised to Sydneysiders for the chaos on the network.
The state government has said it will “leave no stone unturned” as it turns its focus to an appeal at the Fair Work Commission next Tuesday, a day before Christmas.
The Minns government and major hospitality group Laundy Hotels lost an eleventh-hour bid on Friday afternoon to save the world-famous Sydney fireworks.
Premier Chris Minns on Friday hit out at the RTBU and flagged if the government lost the appeal he “cannot be dragged back to the negotiating table”.
The union is seeking a 32 per cent pay rise over four years and a 35-hour working week. The government has responded with an offer of a 9.5 per cent rise over three years.
Mr Minns said he could not ask the people of New South Wales “to give us more in tax” and in turn push the state further into debt.
“Don’t disrupt (the) millions of people that need (trains) this period of time to get to and from work, to meet urgent appointments or if they own small businesses that require public transport to work,” he said, when asked for his message to the union.
Mr Minns said the state government and RTBU are “miles apart” following their last meeting in parliament late on Tuesday night, adding his pay offer was “fair”.
Sky News
