NSW Premier Chris Minns believes hundreds of thousands of commuters should have their train fares refunded after major disruptions on Sydney’s rail network due to ongoing industrial action.
The premier said “they should” when asked if commuters ought to be refunded for the “chaos” on the network over the last two days.
“We’re going to be looking at that very closely,” Mr Minns said.
“But my main objective at the moment is to get an end to ongoing industrial disputes that [are] wrecking the NSW economy.”
Transport for NSW secretary Josh Murray said a total of 1,900 train services were cancelled over the course of Wednesday, which he said equated to around 50 per cent of all services.
Mr Murray said the department expected a total of 1,000 services to be cancelled on Thursday.
He said the cancellations were due to a combination of the rail union’s various industrial bans, which were reinstated yesterday and because of the storm that swept through Sydney overnight.
The opposition said commuters deserved their money back immediately and called for train fares to be scrapped until timetables can return to normal.
“Refund the fares, make travel free until this chaos is fixed, and stop the blame game,” Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said.
Commuters back refund for train disruptions
Most Sydney commuters who spoke to the ABC have welcomed the idea of having their fares reimbursed.
Arriving at Central station for work, Muhammad Rahmn said his usual 30-minute trip became a three-hour trip and believed people should be repaid for their wasted time.
“Because we are wasting too much time on the way [to work] only and the way home as well so, yes, I think they should [provide refunds],” he said.
At Lidcombe station, 16-year-old’s Ramen Atah and Roberto Porrello both agreed that it didn’t make sense for commuters to have to pay for services that don’t get them to where they need to go.
“Seriously, I paid to get the train and then what? I’m going to sit on the train for an hour and a half and not even get to where I’m trying to go — and I’m going to pay for that?” Roberto Porrello said.
But some commuters, like John McClean, believed the cost of refunding everybody would not be worth the effort.
“Well, I’m no economist but I think that would cost the government a hell of a lot of money,” Mr McClean said.
