Central Coast MPs have welcomed an announcement that the new State Government is set to launch a comprehensive and independent Rail Infrastructure and Systems Review to investigate repeated shutdowns, cancellations and delays.
In recent weeks, Coasties have been left stranded by major network breakdowns, beginning with a collapse of the digital train radio system on March 8 which brought the whole network to a standstill during the afternoon peak period.
Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said the recent train situation was “absolutely disastrous for the many Coasties who travel to work every day and rely on the transport system”.
“It is evident that years of poor maintenance of our railway infrastructure is beginning to show and Transport Minister Jo Haylen is already on the job looking at a solutions-based approach,” she said.
“We have already committed to delivering more express services by conducting a review of both the Sydney metropolitan network and the wider NSW Trains network.
Member for Swansea Yasmin Catley said the review would be hugely important.
“This … (will) help deliver reliability for passengers and ensure the network is improved as soon as possible,” she said.
The review is to be conducted by former National Transport Commission Chair, Carolyn Walsh.
It follows a number of key transport infrastructure failures, including three in the past month alone.
The March 8 incident saw a total rail network standstill with school children, travellers and commuters left high and dry when all trains across the entire city network were at a standstill from about 3pm to 4.30pm, with huge delays throughout the rest of the evening.
NSW Transport Management Centre spokesperson, Derrick Peterson, said the situation arose after the failure of the digital radio system which train controllers use to communicate with rail crews.
While former Premier Dominic Perrottet apologised for the chaos just weeks out from the State election and promised a free day of travel as compensation, rail users are still waiting for details.
The Government said at the time that an internal investigation had been initiated to get to the bottom of the problems but there has been no further word on the situation.
On March 10, 500 people were stuck on a train for 90 minutes when a catenary wire break at Panania caused delays across the broader network.
And on March 25, multiple signal failures in the Strathfield area brought the network in that section to a standstill, causing delays across the network that afternoon and evening.
The inquiry will also make recommendations as to how to implement rapid and durable solutions and reforms to address the issues.
Transport Minister Jo Haylen said it was clear the rail network was facing “significant issues”.
“Passengers have faced shutdowns, cancellations and delays across the network and on-time running is the worst it has been since the pandemic,” she said.
“Passengers have been left on platforms, and the people who run our transport system are frustrated because they haven’t been listened to.”
Haylen said the new government had wasted no time in going ahead with the review so services and reliability for passengers could be improved as soon as possible.
Terry Collins