Sydney’s commuters are sick of delays regardless of who is to blame

If the NSW Labor government hopes commuters’ memories are short, it is hopeful at best, deluded at worst. When public services fail, governments are in the firing line.

Tuesday’s peak hour chaos, which started as students were trying to get home from school and extended well into the commuter hour, will have seriously tested the patience of heavy rail users.

It was a broken overhead live wire landing on the roof of a train in Sydney’s west that caused the delays, but that is irrelevant. Sydney’s commuters are tired of delays, regardless of who is to blame.

Only as recently as February, commuters were collateral damage in the bitter ongoing wages dispute between the state government and rail unions.

Few will forget Valentine’s Day this year, when Sydney experienced massive train delays and cancellations. The city was thrown into chaos as a significant number of train drivers and guards called in sick, according to Transport for NSW.

The unions, however, maintained the absences were no more unusual than other Fridays.

After an elongated industrial dispute, last-minute negotiations broke down when the government said it was blindsided by a union claim for a one-off $4500 sign-on bonus. “I think the union is gaslighting Sydney,” NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union was having none of it. They insisted that the bonus was a deal signed by the former Liberal transport minister David Elliott. It was a classic case of he said, she said. It was not the only major disruption on the city’s rail network during the months-long dispute, but it had a big impact.

Regardless of their differences, neither side denied that it was commuters who ultimately wore the pain on Valentine’s Day. Responsibility matters little to disgruntled commuters. On that chaotic Friday three months ago, the government and unions traded barbs, but they fell on deaf ears.

On Tuesday, thousands of people trying to get home from school or work on the rail network were again caught up in Sydney’s latest train meltdown. The added complication of wet weather did not help.

Frustrated commuters crowded train stations, filled replacement shuttle buses and packed Metro platforms, as authorities warned the delays were expected to flow into the Wednesday morning rush.

Trains were first reported as coming to a standstill at platforms on all affected lines except the T4 a little before 4pm. Commuters faced delays of 45 minutes and longer.

Transport for NSW Coordinator-General Howard Collins was quick to insist on Tuesday night that the live wire problem had nothing to do with the ongoing dispute with rail unions, or maintenance standards. This may well be true, but his explanations will matter little.

The state government is responsible for public transport and will have to bear the brunt of commuters’ anger.

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