Major disruptions to train network this weekend as strike and trackwork collide

Weekend commuters are being warned of major delays on Sydney trains this weekend.

Sydneysiders might have to wait up to half an hour for a train this weekend as pre-planned trackwork coincides with industrial action by the transport union.

All lines would operate on a reduced timetable on November 12 and 13, while no services would run on the T5 Cumberland line between Richmond and Leppington this weekend, Sydney Trains said in a statement.

“We have safety critical trackwork planned this weekend, but we haven’t been able to plan a special timetable due to industrial action notified by the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union,” Sydney Trains Chief Executive Matt Longland said in a statement.

A reduced timetable is set up for all lines this weekend. Picture: Supplied by NSW government

“As a result, there will be gaps in service of up to 30 minutes in the outer parts of the Sydney Trains network and service gaps of up to 15 minutes for lines closer to the city, on both Saturday and Sunday.”

Commuters are warned there will be longer waiting times for trains and services will be more crowded than normal this weekend.

The union has released a calendar of the strikes planned for November and flagged there could be major disruptions in December – if the NSW government doesn’t co-operate.

Commuters will be impacted by trains not operating and bans on cleaning, so Sydneysiders can expect dirtier platforms and train carriages.

The industrial action centres around pay and safety demands for a new train fleet. Picture: Supplied by NSW Government

Industrial action is planned through November and December for the NSW trains network.

It’s in “response to the government’s failure to come to the negotiating table over safety demands for a new train fleet and pay disputes”, Rail, Tram and Bus Union secretary Alex Claassens said.

Sydney Trains will operate on a reduced timetable this weekend. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer

The RTBU’s industrial action includes:

November 12: Train crews will only operate on scheduled shifts due to a ban on altered working hours.

November 18: A ban on cleaners using scrubbing machines or vacuum cleaners for 48 hours.

November 19: A ban on cleaners and station staff removing graffiti for a week.

November 21: Commuters can expect major delays on this day due to a ban on operating 4GT rolling stock, the Millennium trains that operate mostly on T2 Inner West and Leppington, T3 Bankstown, T5 Cumberland, T7 Olympic Park and T8 Airport and South.

November 22: Ban on hosing platforms for one week.

November 24: Ban again on cleaners using scrubbing machines or vacuum cleaners for 48 hours.

November 25: Ban on operating 4GT rolling stock impacting the T2 Inner West and Leppington, T3 Bankstown, T5 Cumberland, T7 Olympic Park and T8 Airport and South lines.

December 2: All train lines across Sydney won’t be operating or will be extremely infrequent due to a network-wide stoppage.

The union has tried to turn Opal card readers off Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer

There are other industrial actions planned by the rail union that will only impact workers training new staff, signing on or off at locations other than their home depot and attending planning meetings.

The rail union will refuse to operate the Millennium train fleet on November 21, November 25 and December 2, and this could extend to an entire network shutdown.

The government launched legal action to stop the union. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Mr Claassens warned the industrial actions would “start slowly and gradually ramp up to more serious action that will ultimately affect commuters”.

The altercation between the union and government has taken many twists and turns since it started months ago over safety demands for the New Intercity Fleet and a wage increase for workers.

In order to give the government a “headache” but not to disrupt commuters, the union has tried to turn Opal card readers off.

The government launched legal action to stop the plan, prompting the union to escalate the strikes impacting commuters.