Premier Promises Fare-Free Day After Mass Public Transport Delays

NSW Premier Chris Minns has announced a fare-free public transport day following mass delays of the Sydney train network.

On Tuesday evening, a 1,500-volt live wire came down on top of carriages near Strathfield station, with the 300 passengers on board safely evacuated.

Sydney Trains teams worked hard overnight in “tough rainy conditions” to remove the defective train and repair the overhead wiring.

The power was switched back on at 7:20am today, with the first train service successfully running on the previously-closed line just after 8am. 

Although services are gradually recovering, residual delays would continue for the rest of the day. Transport for NSW have encouraged commuters to use alternate modes of transport, with regular bus services and the metro remaining unaffected.

“If you need to travel on the network there will be limited shuttles operating,” a spokesperson said on Wednesday morning.

“If passengers must travel, plan ahead and allow extra travel time. We have trains running on all lines, but at a reduced frequency.”

“Passengers should listen to announcements and check information displays for service updates.”

Replacement buses are supplementing trains between Lidcombe and Ashfield stations, with lines stretching hundreds of meters across the city this morning.

Fare-free public transport and independent review

The Premier has apologised for the chaos, and has promised a fare-free travel day on Monday 28 to make up for the mass disruption.

“In no way is that going to make up for the disruption of the last 24 hours, but hopefully it can go some way to alleviate the financial burden that families have had to deal with over the last day,” Minns told on Nine Radio this morning.

“If you can take the pressure off the network and its possible to work from home we would ask you to do that.

“Many people will be furious as a result of that and we have to take that on the chin.”

Minns also called for an independent review into Sydney’s train system.

“This is nowhere near good enough, and it’s certainly not on par with international cities around the world,” he said.

“We are looking at bringing someone in from the airline sector … A fresh set of eyes that can look at three things: the maintenance program that we’ve undertaken, the punctuality of trains on the Sydney trains network, and also communication.

“I don’t think that we are clear enough about what the immediate and longer-term impacts will be.”