‘Massive overreaction’: Premier Minns slams union over Metro shutdown demand

NSW Premier Chris Minns has accused the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) of overreacting to the Metro open door debacle, rubbishing their calls for the entire network to be shut down while the incident is investigated.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has accused the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) of overreacting to the Metro open door debacle, rubbishing their calls for the entire network to be shut down while the incident is investigated.Speaking at a press conference to announce the beginning of testing on the Southwest Metro line on Thursday morning, Mr Minns said the government could “do two things at the same time” by keeping the Metro running while reviews were underway.

He confirmed the new Transport Minister John Graham would be meeting with the Metro operator MTS later this morning.

However, he was quick to hit back at the union’s demands.

“I don’t want anyone to believe that we’re trying to sweep it under the carpet or not pay attention to it. The national regulator is looking at that particular issue, (Mr Graham) is speaking to management and the operator of the metro system to ensure that it doesn’t happen again,” Mr Minns said.

“I have to say, though, the union’s demands for the Metro to shut down while those inquiries take place, I believe it’s a massive overreaction

”(It) would disrupt tens of thousands of people that need the Metro to get to and from work.”

Mr Minns also defended the staff at the centre of the issue, which has been blamed on “human error”.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said shutting down the Metro would disrupt tens of thousands of people. Picture: NewsWire / Max Mason-Hubers

“I think your reasonable person would say that maybe a mistake was made, but no one’s life was threatened…I don’t want everyone to overreact when it comes to these Metros and the infrastructure that we’re rolling out, it’s fantastic,” he said.

“I think the staff showed care in these circumstances, we’re not going to stand up and blame them.”

It comes as an urgent investigation has been launched into the potentially catastrophic failure on Sydney’s brand-new $21 billion Metro after a driverless train hurtled along at 99km/h with its doors wide open on Wednesday.

The state government was left scrambling last night to work out how the debacle was able to occur after terrified passengers were left metres from disaster for two kilometres of their morning commute between Chatswood and Crows Nest yesterday.

Two Metro staff had to physically block the opening to stop people falling out of the moving carriage for about 60 seconds before the train stopped.

Premier Chris Minns last night tried to reassure passengers the problem was being fixed, but could not guarantee it would never happen again.

He said new Transport Minister John Graham had “called in the CEO of the Sydney Metro operator to explain what went wrong and all steps were being taken to ensure that this does not happen again”.

Staff members guarded the door while on the radio to the Operational Control Centre.

The incident – blamed on “human error” – has reignited the war between unions and the government over the driverless Metro, with Rail Tram and Bus Union secretary Toby Warnes calling for the entire network to be shut down.

Mr Graham blamed the incident on a botched “manual override” process, which allowed the Metro train to start moving despite the single set of doors not being shut.

New NSW Transport Minister John Graham claimed the error was caused by a botched “manual override” process. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

The Daily Telegraph understands the problem began when that one set of doors did not respond to remote instructions in the Sydney Metro system which requires all components to be in a safe position before the train can move.

Two staff on the train were asked by the Operational Control Centre to manually close the doors, but locked them in the open position.

About two kilometres after the train left Chatswood, the centre stopped it and the staff were able to close the doors.

That set of doors remained closed and out of service to the end of the line in Sydenham, while the rest of the doors operated normally. The train completed its return trip to Tallawong where it was then removed from the network.

NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union Secretary Toby Warnes slammed the incident. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“This will now be investigated by national and state safety regulators to determine precisely what’s gone on here,” Mr Graham said.

“We apologise to customers for the concern this caused,” Metro Trains Sydney chief executive Daniel Williams said.

Mr Warnes called for the entire Metro network to be shut down. “It’s a miracle that no one was hurt, or worse, on the Metro this morning,” he said.

The City Metro opened in August last year. Picture: NSW Government

“The Metro services need to stop service immediately until an interim safety plan, at a minimum, is put in place.”

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the incident was “clearly completely unsatisfactory”.

Some commuters likened the incident to the old “red rattlers” that regularly ran on the Sydney network with doors wide open until being taken out of service in the 1990s.

Originally published as ‘Massive overreaction’: Premier Minns slams union over Metro shutdown demand