Sydney train strike: rail delays as network prepares for weeks of industrial action

Commuters are already experiencing transport headaches as trains across the city run late due to urgent repairs ahead of industrial action set down for Wednesday.

Commuters are already experiencing transport headaches as trains across the city run late due to urgent repairs ahead of industrial action set down for Wednesday.

Sydneysiders travelling along Sydney’s North Shore line, Northern line and Western line were experiencing substantial delays on Tuesday morning as they arrived at stations.

Sydney Trains said via social media, these delays were due to urgent signal repairs at Milsons Point.

“Trains are running through the affected area at a reduced speed (towards the City from Hornsby/Chatswood),” the post read.

“Services are delayed by approx 8 minutes.”

Sydney’s rail network will be struck by waves of strikes. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Some travellers heading into work along the Northern line were left waiting up to 15 minutes for their trains.

If matters weren’t already bad enough for commuters on Tuesday morning, some trains along the T2, Inner West and Leppington line were cancelled due to Covid related staff shortages.

#NorthShoreLine trains are running late when travelling to the City due to urgent signal repairs at Milsons Point.

Please get in touch if you need help travelling and allow extra travel time. pic.twitter.com/YciyCZzDln

— T1 Sydney Trains (@T1SydneyTrains) August 8, 2022

“Some trains from summer hill to Parramatta cancelled this morning, is there an ongoing issue?” said one commuter.

Sydney trains are advising people travelling along the affected lines to leave extra time on Tuesday morning.

Buses also replaced trains between Olympic Park and Lidcombe as a result of trackwork.

This comes as planned industrial action is set for Wednesday which is predicted to cause major disruptions for commuters, particularly on the T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra and South Coast rail lines.

Due to industrial action on Wed 10 August, Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink Intercity services will not run between 10am-4pm on @T4SydneyTrains & @TrainLinkSouth#SouthCoastLine.

Some services may also be cancelled or run to a reduced timetable from 6am-10am and from 4pm-6pm. pic.twitter.com/UMYdBz57wN

— Trains Info (@TrainsInfo) August 8, 2022

Not sure what's happened to the timetable today... #SydneyTrainspic.twitter.com/yHd2d6FXUC

— Gavin Lucan (@shoutybeardyguy) August 8, 2022

Sydney’s rail network will be struck by waves of strikes, while gates will be left open at train stations across the city, as the union reignites industrial action over their dispute with the government.

From Sunday services will be hit with actions in a three-week campaign set to last until the end of August.

On August 7 transport officers will refuse to hand out fines on trains, while the first strike will take place from 10am for six hours on August 10 on trains servicing area 1 – the southern rail servicing south Sydney and Wollongong.

On August 13 all gates at train stations on the Opal Card network will be left open, but action will escalate from August 17 – with a strike on that day impacting inner west and regional lines.

On August 23 and 25 further strikes will hit the city, while a ban on operating foreign-made trains on August 31 will cap off the chaos.

Minister for Transport David Elliott watches on with Treasurer Matt Kean, as Minister for Roads Natalie Ward addresses the media during a press conference.

Transport Minister David Elliott, who returned to work this week after several weeks of annual leave and an overseas history trip with school students related to his veterans’ portfolio, is set to meet with the union on Wednesday morning in a bid to cool the latest flashpoint.

“I’ve been in conference with the Transport Department today and I remain open-minded and committed to making sure all parties come to conciliation,” he said.

The Minister has told colleagues he remains frustrated the intervention of other colleagues means this matter is still not finalised, referring to the Treasurer Matt Kean and employee relations Minister Damien Tudehope, who shot down the union’s demands for alterations to the New Intercity Fleet in May.

The latest round of action comes as the union continues to pressure the government for a written agreement promising $260 million will be put towards fixing the fleet, which remains in storage with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) refusing to operate it over safety concerns.

RTBU NSW secretary Alex Claassens. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

The government has refused to do so, fearing it could negatively impact ongoing enterprise agreement being negotiated with the union.

RTBU NSW secretary Alex Claassens said industrial action would continue amid frustrations stemming from months of negotiations with different government ministers.

“We can’t have this situation continuing where one Minister says something to us, and another ministers comes in and overrides it,” Mr Claassens said.

“The RTBU is still looking for a written guarantee they’re going to fix it … and as soon as that’s sorted, then we will go back to the combined rail unions and we’ll finish an enterprise agreement.”