Extra NSW public transport services to continue for COVID safe travel

NSW has recorded its 20th day in a row with no locally acquired COVID-19 cases.

NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Two new cases were acquired overseas, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 4,930.

There were 12,521 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 10,113.

Today is the 20th day in a row with no reported locally acquired cases in NSW, but we cannot drop our guard. High testing rates give us the best chance of finding any new cases and preventing new chains of transmission from becoming established.

EXTRA PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES TO CONTINUE

Thousands of additional public transport services will be extended and a new crack cleaning squad will hit the busiest CBD stations to keep increasing numbers of commuters COVID-safe.

More than 1200 additional services introduced in early December have been extended into autumn, running until at least the end of March to keep commuters socially distanced.

The additional services include 600 weekly night bus services between 9pm and 1am on Friday and Saturday; 300 weekly Nightrider services from midnight to 4.30am on Friday and Saturday; 236 extra weekend services to Bondi, Coogee and Manly beach; 70 weekly light rail services on the L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford Lines from 7pm on Wednesday to Sunday; and the Manly Ferry running every 20 minutes during the day until 6pm.

New teams of COVID cleaners will begin cleaning “high touch” points around the city. Picture: David Swift

While there are still 38 per cent fewer people catching public transport than the same time last year, the steady return of schools and office workers has warranted extending the additional services. 

“We want people to be spaced out,” Transport Minister Andrew Constance said.

“If we don’t see more community transmission, people will continually come back to the public transport network.”

Two new roving squads of cleaners have begun cleaning hard surfaces such as hand rails, turnstiles and Opal card readers at the city’s biggest stations including Central, Town Hall, Wynyard, Circular Quay and Martin Place.

The COVID cleaners will target public transport areas. Picture: David Swift

The Rapid Response cleaners have previously been reserved for responding to community transmission outbreaks, where they blitzed stations with sanitiser and handed out masks to commuters within two hours of a health alert.

The Rapid Response cleaners will be cleaning buses at the SCG during tonight’s Big Bash final between Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers.