Commuters vent frustration as ongoing dispute leads to more travel mayhem

Commuters have shared their irritation with ongoing rail disruptions as strikes roll on – though opinions are split on who is to blame.

Commuters right across the Greater Sydney rail network are expressing their frustration over another day of citywide delays, as rail workers continue to strike amid failed negotiations with the state government.

Although rail workers only started their planned six-hour strike at 10am on Wednesday, morning commuters still faced cramped carriages and major delays.

Heavily reduced services are running on four major train lines, including the T2 Inner West and Leppington, T3 Bankstown, T8 Airport and South, and Southern Highlands.

Commuters were warned to expect major disruptions on these lines throughout the day and Transport for NSW has advised commuters to leave plenty of time for travel or avoid impacted train lines altogether.

Travellers who chose to brave the trains took to social media to air their grievances over another day of commuter chaos.

Curse you shitty rail #sydneytrains

— Rita B (@QueenRitaIII) August 16, 2022

Playing sardines on the train this morning #sydneytrains

— Cat (@CatCranston) August 16, 2022

“Playing sardines on the train this morning,” one Twitter user complained.

“Good luck fellow commuters on Sydney Trains … it’s already pretty horrible today,” another wrote.

Some disgruntled travellers cast the blame on rail workers for moving ahead with the industrial action.

“Sydney trains staff, if you hate your job so much, just quit,” one Twitter user wrote.

“Stop taking it out on the rest of us.”

“Curse you sh**ty rail,” said another.

However, a new independent poll commissioned by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union found that almost 60 per cent of commuters supported rail workers taking action in the name of safer trains.

Good luck fellow commuters on #sydneytrains@TrainsInfo it's already pretty horrible today ...

— Cassandra, House of Priam (@DharmaBray) August 16, 2022

“Commuters clearly understand that when it comes to safety, it’s rail workers, not a few career politicians, who actually have the best interests of commuters and workers at heart,” RTBU NSW secretary Alex Claassens said.

“Our actions are always designed to cause a headache for management and the government, not commuters.”

The month-long strike comes after more than a year of failed negotiations between the rail union and the NSW government over the creation of a new enterprise agreement and safety concerns related to a new fleet of foreign-made trains.

Commuters can expect delays throughout the day as major network disruptions continue. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

“Commuters would be disturbed to know that the NSW government’s upkeep of our current train fleet is so poor that trains do often get put into service without meeting those standards,” Mr Claassens said.

The rail union claims it is yet to receive a signed guarantee from the government that they would fix the New Intercity Fleet.

“Workers won’t be bullied into allowing unsafe trains to run on our railways, nor will we be bullied into submission by a government more focused on ideological games than in delivery the public transport system we all deserve,” Mr Claassens said.

What services are impacted by the strikes?

Buses will replace trains on the T3 Bankstown line between Lidcombe and Bankstown and the T7 Olympic Park line between Lidcombe and Olympic Park.

There will be no train services operating on the T5 Cumberland line between Richmond and Leppington.

Commuters can change at Granville to complete their journey.

Crowds swelled at Central Station as train services ran reduced services. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

There is no change to services on the T1 North Shore and Western, T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra, and the T9 Northern lines.

Transport for NSW is advising travellers to leave extra time for their journey and to seriously consider alternative means of travel, including the city’s bus network.

NSW TrainLink chief executive Dale Merrick said commuters travelling as far afield as Canberra, Melbourne and Griffith would be impacted.

Buses will replace trains on the Southern Highlands lines.

Morning commuters faced long delays and cramped carriages on four major train lines on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Train crews will also stop operating trains they say do not meet the “minimum standards” of the maintenance centre.

An RTBU spokesman estimated this would impact around 15 per cent of the fleet.

Selected cancellations will occur on the Central Coast and Newcastle and Blue Mountains services during peak periods.

Since August 7, the rail union has begun a range of strike actions designed to disrupt the city’s transport network.

More rail strikes are schedules for next week as the rail union and NSW government butt heads. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Until September 6, Opal gates will remain open at some Sydney train stations and transport officers are banned from issuing fines and cautions.

However, travellers have been advised by Transport for NSW to keep tapping on, as police officers are still able to issue fines.

As of last week, trains are no longer being cleaned with vacuum cleaners or scrubbing machines.

Originally published as Commuters vent frustration as ongoing dispute leads to more travel mayhem