Inner West light rail: Transport for NSW ignored plan to replace cracked trams with spare cars

Transport for NSW ignored a bid to replace cracked trams on the Inner West line with unused cars sitting in a Sydney depot.

Transport for NSW ignored an interim plan to see trams sitting unused in the Randwick Depot replace cracked cars along the Inner West Line.

Transport Advocacy Network secretary Paul Nolan called on the NSW Government to roll out as many as six, four-car unused Citadis Light Rail cars to replace the 12 cracked trams servicing the inner west light rail — running from Dulwich Hill to Central — which will result in the closure of the entire line and replacement bus services installed for up to 18 months.

Mr Nolan told NewsLocal the Transport Advocacy Network submitted a plan to the NSW Government just days after it was revealed the inner west line cars would be removed from service, after it was revealed six of the 24 trams along the Eastern Suburbs lines sit unused in the Randwick Depot.

“The proposal was to split the four-car trams, sitting in the depot, to two-car services in order to provide 12 Light rail cars along the line as an interim fix,” Mr Nolan said.

“These trams, while different to the usual service, can run on the inner west line.

“We already have enough extra drivers qualified to operate these extra trams along the inner west line, so they could provide interim services tomorrow.”

The inner west light rail service from Dulwich Hill to Central Station has been decommissioned for 18 months after cracks appeared on the fleet of Transdev trams.

Mr Nolan said the government previously raised concern over gaps between the proposed replacement cars and platforms, however, said the gap would be “approximately 60mm”.

“We raised the proposal four weeks ago, as soon as we became aware of the cracks in the trams,” he said.
“We have also questioned whether it is the track or the tram that is causing the cracking — but we have received no response.”

Mr Nolan said the 24 half-service trams could be turned around at Circular Quay, Town Hall and Wynyard.

Pictured is the light rail yard at Lilyfield in Sydneys inner west. Buses have replaced trams on the entire light rail route due to cracks that have been identified in the carriages. Picture: Richard Dobson

“They could run them from Circular Quay all the way to Lilyfield with as many as 400 people on each service,” he said. “This is a simple, interim solution, rather than running dozens of buses every hour with very limited amounts of people on them.”

A Transport for NSW spokesman hit back at the proposal, arguing the Citadis X05 Light Rail Vehicles “are not currently suitable to operate passenger services on the Inner West Light Rail”.

However, the spokesman said the Citadis X05 vehicle “is able to travel on the IWLR to Lilyfield each day at a low speed”.

Pictured is the replacement light rail stop at Lilyfield in Sydneys inner west where buses have replaced trams due to cracks that have been identified in the carriages. Picture: Richard Dobson

“The Citadis X05 LRVs are not currently suitable to operate in revenue service on the Inner West Light Rail for a variety of operational and safety reasons, including differing wheel profiles, differing vehicle tracking systems, vehicle platform height differences, platform/LRV gaps and differing door locations,” he said.

“The replacement bus routes currently operating — 498 and 499 — have been operated by government-owned bus operator State Transit since early November, at minimal cost to Transport for NSW.”

Shadow Transport spokeswoman, Jo Haylen, said it was “unbelievable that the Government hasn’t explored every single option to fix the Inner West Light Rail shutdown”.

“Thousands of passengers have been stranded and our streets are clogged with replacement buses,” she said. “The Transport Minister needs to explain why everything isn’t on the table to bring this service back.”

NSW Minister Transport and Roads Rob Stokes addresses the press at the NSW parliament in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

The refusal of the proposal by the Transport Advocacy Network comes as Transport Minister Rob Stokes revealed three replacement bus loops from Central to the Star, Lilyfield via Glebe to Central and from Dulwich Hill via the Anzac Bridge to The Star.

Meanwhile, a permanent ferry service will provide services from Blackwattle Bay to Barangaroo weekdays from 7am to 8pm every 30 minutes.

Transport for NSW chief Howard Collins said there has been “talk” about moving the trams from the Eastern Suburbs line to the inner west, however, argued it was a “complex thing to do”.

“At this stage, what I … don’t want is for people being distracted by thinking of other plans when we really should focus on (repairs),” he said.

“When we have the full plan, we will take stock of any possibilities or suggestions, but at this stage, fixing the trams permanently … is the best way that we should tackle this.”