How will you be getting around?
IN the wake of the Sydney train strike, which will see services drastically cut tomorrow and Friday before a proposed 24-hour strike on Monday, thousands of Sydneysiders will be left to their own devices to get around. Here’s a few ways it can be done.
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IN the wake of the Sydney train strike, which will see train services drastically cut tomorrow and Friday before a proposed 24-hour strike on Monday, thousands of Sydneysiders will be left to their own devices to get around.
Here’s a few ways it can be done.
WALK
Taking a casual stroll — or desperate powerwalk — to work may be one solution.
However Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Simon Louis recommends planning your journey well if it is going to be a long one.
“It will get to a high of 29 in the city tomorrow with quite a bit of humidity so people who choose to walk to work tomorrow will definitely feel a bit warm and sticky,” he said.
“Towards 8am it will already be around 23C, and we may even see a shower in the late afternoon for people thinking of walking home.”
UBER
Ride-hailing company Uber suggests regular rail users should think about catching a ride to work with one of their drivers.
“Ahead of the potential Sydney train strike, features like ‘Driver Destinations’ can provide Sydney residents with an alternative commuting option which is reliable, convenient and affordable,” Uber’s spokeswoman said.
Driver Destinations uses technology to match drivers with riders heading in the same direction.
“For Uber riders, there are also a couple of features in the app which can further help them in getting to work during the strikes,” she said.
They include the “Multiple Stops” feature. Use this to pick-up or drop-off friends or colleagues en route to the office by sharing one Uber.
The app also has a “Split Fare” feature which may be worth exploring.
TAXI
Legion cabs is well prepared for the strike, with plenty of extra staff rostered on for tomorrow’s busy day.
“We are really expecting higher demands on the phone, so we are encouraging people to also book through our app,” Legion Cabs assistant general manager Lee Furlong said.
“If demands get really high we will encourage people to carpool if there are two customers down the road from one another.”
SHUTTLE BUS
If you are heading to and from the airport on any of the unpredictable days throughout the weekend, shuttle buses are an option.
Redy2Go will have 30 buses going to and from the airport tomorrow and Monday — an increase from its usual 21.
The shuttle company also has private cars taking people from the city at a $55 flat rate with a “no surges” guarantee.
Customers are being asked to book about two hours in advance online or via the app.
SHARE BIKE
Getting your own bike out of the shed could be a good option tomorrow.
So too could using a bike sharing company.
Scott Walker, bike sharing company ofo’s head of strategy, says his company is working closely with the City of Sydney to ease congestion.
“We are actively deploying bikes in high commuter areas ahead of the planned strike, particularly at train stations and within our geofence, and will also be extending our free rides to help commuters get to work as quickly and easily as possible,” he said.
“All commuters need to do is download the app, locate their nearest bike and scan the code to get themselves started on their free and easy trip to work.”
WATER TAXI
While it may not be an option for everyone, for those who live near Sydney Harbour or Parramatta river, a water taxi may be the way to go.
Water Taxis Combined manager Andrew Nicholl says the fleet will be out earlier in the day than usual and, depending on demand, out later in the day as well.
“We don’t run to a timetable but to customer bookings and have a lot of flexibility to react to customer demand if there is a specific need for our service from a particular place,” Mr Nicholl said.
“Our boats are covered and range in size from 21 to 27 seats and cover Sydney Harbour from Roseville, to Manly, Eastern Suburbs and as far up the Parramatta River as Meadowbank.”