Central Coast rail passengers will travel free for two days on Thursday, July 31, and Friday, August 1 as the State Government encourages people to use the network and take the opportunity to support local businesses.
The fare-free period is an acknowledgement by the government that the patience of the travelling public was strained to breaking point during the period of protected industrial action and that some businesses like cafes, shops and hospitality operators were collateral damage of the interruptions.
A new Rail Enterprise Agreement has received the overwhelming support of the rail workforce in a ballot that closed on Saturday, July 5, hopefully signalling an end to industrial action which has impacted commuters heavily over the past 12 months.
More than 11,700 employees participated in the vote, with 92% supporting the Enterprise Agreement which will now be lodged with the Fair Work Commission for formal approval.
Resolution of the matter will allow Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink and the combined rail workforce to focus solely on improving reliability and services for passengers.
The fare-free 48 hours is an invitation to workers to travel into the Sydney or Parramatta CBDs, or other work and commercial centres across the state, at no cost and support the food and hospitality businesses that took a hit during those months of disruption.
Business Sydney, the Tourism & Transport Forum and the Night Time Industries Association are all backing the push for passengers to back local businesses during the fare-free period.
The fare-free period has been set at the end of the month so that it does not coincide with the current school holidays, allowing the maximum number of regular rail passengers to benefit.
The free travel takes effect from midnight on Wednesday, July 30 until midnight on Friday, August 1 with travel free on all Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink, Airport Link, and Sydney Metro services.
Opal gates and readers at Opal enabled train and metro stations will be turned off during the fare free period, so customers will not need to tap on and tap off.
Passengers using NSW TrainLink services during this time will be refunded but must have booked a ticket to secure their seat to travel.
Free travel will not extend to buses, ferries and light rail which will charge fares as normal.
Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said passengers from the Central Coast and other regions deserved the relief.
“As someone who represents a regional community, I know that the recent disruption hit parts of rural and regional NSW hard,” she said.
“I encourage everyone to take full advantage of these two days by hopping aboard and seeing what our regional areas have to offer.”
