10 Nov 2022 | 05:52 PM UTC
Australia: Rail disruptions to occur in Sydney Nov. 12-13 due to planned maintenance and labor strike
Rail disruptions to occur in Sydney, Australia, Nov. 12-13 due to maintenance works and limited industrial action.
Event
Rail disruptions will occur in parts of Sydney Nov. 12-13 due to planned maintenance coinciding with a low-level labor strike by the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union (RTBU); the industrial action is part of an ongoing dispute with transport officials over wage and safety concerns. Rail operator Sydney Trains has warned that rail services on several routes will run on a reduced schedule. Impacted areas include the T1 North Shore and Western, T2 Inner West and Leppington, T3 Bankstown, T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra, T5 Cumberland, T8 Airport and South, T9 Northern, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Newcastle, and South Coast lines. Rail authorities further indicate trains on the T5 Cumberland line between Richmond and Leppington will be suspended.
Lingering disruptions may occur after the strike and maintenance conclude as operators reposition rolling stock. Available rail services will likely experience crowding; demand for alternative means of transport will probably be higher. Increased traffic congestion is likely as persons who would normally use Sydney's rail network resort to driving their personal vehicles.
Advice
Consider using alternative transport for time-sensitive travel through the evening of Nov. 13. Allow extra time to reach destinations due to increased traffic congestion and demand for alternative transportation.
