The recent NSW floods have been causing disruptions to the Sydney rail network but now it’s the turn of industrial action to have an impact again.
Commuters in the city are being warned to expect major delays as industrial action is scheduled to begin today. It’s the action of the Electrical Trades Union, who are stopping their members from undertaking certain maintenance work across the entire train network.
And it could lead to parts of Sydney’s network coming to a complete halt, with the impact expected to worsen the longer it stays in place. The Rail, Tram, and Bus Union (RTBU), who have previously caused travel chaos in the city with their strike action, has also decided to stand in solidarity with the ETU and says its members will also refuse to work.
It comes as the network is still recovering from last week’s storm damage, with many lines suffering huge disruptions and cancellations. Transport for NSW have assured that crews are working “around the clock” to fix issues and carry out much-needed repairs.
“There will be a point where equipment, such as substations, overhead wiring and track points cannot continue to be used if those maintenance activities have not been performed,” Sydney Trains CEO Matt Longland explained while discussing the ongoing industrial action (as per news.com.au). He insisted that it could lead to the network “suffering.”
“If the bans continue indefinitely, this could progressively result in safety issues on the rail network and growing portions of the network unable to be operated.”
So if you’re in Sydney, remember to keep an eye out for network changes and be prepared to update your travel plans. We’ll keep you posted with further updates this week.
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Check out the Sky News report on Sydney’s rail disruption:
