Sydney Trains

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Power failure leaves commuters stranded at Wynyard, Town Hall train stations

[ozbob]

NSW Government to apologise over Granville train disaster https://t.co/A7CfUKjRzz via @ABCNews

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) January 15, 2017

[ozbob]

Sydney Trains looking to recruit more women - https://t.co/vd9EqaZny0 pic.twitter.com/d9s3JrF0kb

— Rail Express (@RailExpressNews) February 26, 2017

[ozbob]

A partial derailment of an empty train at Port Kembla this morning currently causing disruptions to @TrainLinkSouth and @T4SydneyTrains. pic.twitter.com/sogby7R1Oi

— Trains Info (@TrainsInfo) March 13, 2017

[Otto]

City Circle Services:

Saturday 18 March 2.00AM to Monday 20 March 2.00AM

    Buses replace trains between Central and Wynyard via Museum.
    T1 North Shore, Northern & Western and T2 Inner West & South line trains continue to stop at Town Hall and Wynyard.
    If you are travelling to:
        Museum or St James, change at Central for a bus
        Circular Quay, change at Wynyard or Central for a bus
    Other lines are also be affected by this work. Please check details before you travel.

Bus services

3CC: Circular Quay to Wynyard and return
5CC: Central, Museum, St James, Circular Quay and return

To plan your travel, use the Trip Planner or search the Bus Timetables (enter the route number and when you plan to travel).

Please note we aim to have trackwork replacement bus timetables online two weeks prior, however in some cases there may be delays.

I did intend on catching the Airport to Circular Quay train on Saturday to get to the OPT.  LOL

[ozbob]

Some pics arriving of line flooding at Port Kembla affecting #SouthCoastLine customers. Buses replace trains btwn Port Kembla & Wollongong. pic.twitter.com/fgQMBkO79D

— NSW TrainLink South (@TrainLinkSouth) March 16, 2017

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Man injured by detached hatch after Sydney train fire at Burwood Station

A man who was injured after a roof hatch flew off a train as it approached a station in Sydney's inner-west has received an apology from NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance.

The hatch fell off the train as it was approaching a platform at Burwood Station on Monday afternoon.

The injured commuter was treated by paramedics but wasn't hospitalised.

A small fire on the roof self-extinguished by the time NSW Fire and Rescue crews arrived.

Mr Constance said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and Office of Transport Safety Investigations would be examining the damaged train.

"I'd like to offer my sincere apologies to the man injured after today's incident at Burwood train station," he said in a statement.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Sydney trains at risk of running late without big investment, audit report finds

Sydney's trains will increasingly struggle to run on time unless "sustained and substantial investment" is made in the existing heavy rail network, the state's Auditor-General has found.

While a new $20 billion metro rail line and upgrades to the train fleet will help, the Auditor-General found that rail patronage growth was nevertheless outstripping both the government's forecasts and the rail system's capacity to cope.

A report by the Australian Automobile Association reveal the average family from western Sydney is paying around $22,000 a year in transport costs.

In a report released on Tuesday, the Auditor-General said it was likely that by 2019 there will be "virtually no scope to run additional trains through the city", increasing the risk that over-crowded trains will not be able to run according to their timetable.

When it developed plans for the train system in 2011, Transport for NSW predicted rail patronage would grow by 3.3 per cent a year. But patronage has grown by 4.3 per cent per year since then, and for the past two years has increased by 6.6 per cent.

"If recent higher than forecast patronage growth continues, the network may struggle to maintain punctuality before 2019," the Auditor-General's report said.

And while the state's transport agency had considerable work in progress on strategies to boost capacity and maintain punctuality after 2019, the report said it remained some way from putting a costed plan to the government.

"There is a significant risk that investments will not be made soon enough to handle future patronage levels," it said. "Ideally, planning and investment decisions should have been made already."

The report said the second stage of the metro rail project – a line from Chatswood to the CBD and on to Bankstown in the city's west – would help once completed in 2024 but it noted that "sustained and substantial investment needs to be made into the existing heavy rail network to meet demand and ensure its ongoing reliability".

Despite the concerns about the longer term, the Auditor-General said rail agencies were "well placed" to cope with increases in demand over the next three years. Projects such as the first stage of the new metro rail link from Sydney's north west to Chatswood would help to maintain punctuality until 2019.

Nevertheless, a part of the rail network around North Sydney is creating problems for afternoon peak services to western Sydney and to Hornsby via Strathfield, while the on-time performance of East Hills express trains is significantly below target.

The report said the punctuality of trains departing Central Station on the Western Line and Northern Line via Strathfield between 5.15pm and 6pm was "relatively poor".

It also found the on-time running of intercity trains was below suburban services, noting that NSW Trains "can do little" to directly impact services running on time because maintenance was carried out by Sydney Trains.

While describing as positive the conclusions about the outlook for the short to medium term, Transport for NSW rejected the Auditor-General's assertions about the ability to cope with passenger demand over the longer term.

"This finding is not supported by the facts," NSW Transport Secretary Tim Reardon wrote in a letter to Auditor-General Margaret Crawford.

"Transport for NSW is currently either delivering or planning rail network upgrades in Sydney at an unprecedented level to both address current growth and longer term future growth."

But Greens transport spokeswoman Mehreen Faruqi said the government had neglected the existing rail network.

"The government can find billions of dollars for privatising multiple public rail lines, but where is the investment in the Sydney Trains network?" she asked.

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Western Sydney's peak-hour train services could be cut, while North Shore may benefit

Direct train services from Penrith could be cut back as the city's $20-billion Metro project wavers on its promise of a faster, better rail system for all.

Documents obtained by the ABC reveal the NSW Government has considered plans to bring new express trains to the Northern line, while reducing peak-hour services from Penrith, Kingswood and Werrington.

There are also hints that Sydney's suburban trains may become more crowded.

An impact document predicts a reduction of 'West to North' capacity by 25 per cent, suggesting more passengers on already crowded trains from Sydney's western suburbs.

The planning documents were secured after a successful three-year legal battle with Transport for New South Wales, with two appeals to release the information under the GIPA Act.

Last year Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the $20-billion Metro project would deliver a "massive boost" to the entire train network.

"It will also mean faster and more frequent services will be able to be delivered on the Sydney Trains network from other major centres like Penrith and Blacktown," he said.

The comments echoed those of former premier Mike Baird who said: "Whether it is busting congestion or providing brand new Metro train lines to reduce crowding on our public transport, these projects will make a huge difference to people's lives."

The timetable changes revealed today assist the operation of the privately run Metro line, which will take over a reconfigured Epping-to-Chatswood line.

However, they will have a complex domino effect on the city's railways as existing services are rerouted, or even cancelled.

Penrith loses, Rhodes wins

Penrith currently enjoys 11 fast trains to the city during the 7:00am-to-8:00am peak-hour period, but a 2018 concept map suggests the western population centre could lose four services with capacity for up to 4,000 passengers.

From 2018 on, Penrith's peak-hour travellers may lose direct access to Town Hall, Wynyard and the North Shore, with train services instead terminating at Central.

Passengers would need to change trains to continue into the city and north, something that could increase journey times and station congestion.

While the western suburbs are set to lose services, the concept timetables show the Northern line will be boosted.

Starting next year, passengers from Normanhurst, Thornleigh, Pennant Hills and Beecroft are re-routed away from a closed Epping-to-Chatswood line.

Two new peak-hour services are also accommodated in the concept timetables.

During peak-hour, five fast trains will depart Epping and service just five stops — Eastwood, West Ryde, Rhodes, Strathfield and Central — supporting high-rise population centres.

Central Coast loses services, longer journeys across West

Planning documents suggest Central Coast commuters may also face a shock in 2019 with the end of direct services from Wyong and Gosford to the North Shore line.

Instead of express peak-hour services via Chatswood to the city, it appears Central Coast trains could also be re-routed down the Northern line via Strathfield, with most services commencing from Gosford.

The re-timetabling of peak-hour trains and slower stopping patterns down the Northern, Southern, Inner-West and Western lines is another impact of the Sydney Metro.

For instance, travellers from Liverpool can expect to take up to 10 minutes extra to the CBD.

A rail planning map reinforces this and shows two extra Northern line trains travelling between Strathfield and Central during the morning peak, to as many as 15 per hour in 2019.

Loss of Penrith services to help with demand on Northern line

The ABC contacted Railcorp former general manager and head of timetabling Dr Dick Day, who examined the concept timetables.

He suggested the motivation behind Penrith's modelled loss of services could be to help the Northern Line cope with additional demand, created by re-routed trains.

"A likely reason for terminating Penrith trains at Central is to create additional track space into the City via Strathfield," Dr Day said.

Railway consultant Sandy Thomas, who also analysed the Government's documents, said he feared much needed extra capacity would not be delivered in the proposed changes.

"On some lines there are actually proposals for fewer peak hour services from Penrith to St Marys, Epping to the CBD, from Berowra to Hornsby, and from Hornsby to Lindfield," he said.

He says the documents suggest major infrastructure upgrades to signals and tracks are needed if the suggested timetable changes are to run successfully

"It appears these improvements at Rhodes and elsewhere on the main North line are subject to the completion of extra tracks between Rhodes and North Strathfield.

Both rail experts expected significant alterations would be made to the timetables received by the ABC.
Planner says nothing final but timetable expert disagrees

In an NCAT hearing, senior planner Nikolai Prince said the documents, while conceptual, did represent timetable solutions under development by Transport for NSW. He also suggested impacts on customers were already considered by planners, negating the need for wider consultation.

Transport for NSW was unable to answer specific questions about the proposed changes yesterday, but in a statement it said that future timetables had not been finalised, and it would clarify changes as they were locked in.

"Transport for NSW will not confuse its customers by ruling in and out possibilities for a timetable that is still being worked through," the statement said.

"Options for all lines remain unconfirmed, unless already announced by the NSW Government."

In a radio interview on ABC Sydney this morning Transport Minister Andrew Constance criticised the ABC for confusing commuters with a story based on old planning documents.

However, the documents were obtained less than two weeks ago after a ruling by the NCAT found in the ABC's favour for release under public interest considerations.

Timetable expert Dr Day lamented the fact Transport for NSW had failed to release more up-to-date information – as requested by the ABC.

"Actual work on a 2018 timetable would now be highly advanced with hardly any time to alter and produce all the required documentation, before we are faced with the Epping-Chatswood closure.

    "So why do they refuse to make real information available?"

He suggested involving passengers in additional consultation before decision making was finalised would be beneficial to timetable outcomes.

A decision by Transport for NSW to block the release of additional documents is currently under appeal by the ABC.

You can read the full concept timetables released to the ABC here.

[ozbob]

Just announced 200 extra train services to @SydneyAirport each week to cater for up to 40% growth #nswpol pic.twitter.com/GFpTNBGngs

— Andrew Constance MP (@AndrewConstance) May 14, 2017

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Extra million catching trains to Sydney Airport prompts need for more services

An extra 1 million people catching trains to Sydney Airport last year has spurred the state government to put on an additional 200 services a week in an attempt to cope with the unprecedented demand.

Underscoring the pressure on Sydney's transport network, train patronage to and from the airport has risen by 32 per cent over the past two years to 8.2 million passengers in 2016.
Sydney's most expensive train ticket

Train passengers are spending $17 to travel between Sydney Airport and the CBD, lining state government coffers by more than $1 million a week.

The surge in demand has been greatest at weekends – rising by 42 per cent since 2014 to 1.8 million passengers last year.

The growth comes despite the cost of a one-way journey between Sydney's CBD and the domestic and international terminals costing an adult passenger more than $17 during peak hours, making it Sydney's most expensive stretch of rail track.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the government needed to act fast to cater for the growth in demand for train services to Australia's busiest airport.

"We're hoping the service boost acts as another incentive to leave the car behind," he said.

The government has been eager for more people to catch trains because of congestion on roads in and around the airport, which can lead to traffic queues extending from the international to the domestic terminals at weekends.

The extra 200 train services on the T2 Airport Line will begin this year, resulting in a doubling from four to eight services per hour during the day on weekends when demand for travel to the airport is often greatest.

Trains will also run every 15 minutes late at night on weekdays, instead of every 20 to 30 minutes at present.

Last year, almost 42 million passengers caught flights to and from Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport.

And in a a sign of the looming stresses on road and public transport links to the airport, a joint study on Sydney's aviation capacity has forecast the number of passengers at Kingsford Smith to reach almost 77 million by 2035.

With demand for trains surging, the government shows no willingness to remove a station access fee of $13.40 imposed on passengers when they pass through gates at the airport's terminals.

The state government is now the major beneficiary of the access fee, instead of the private operator of the four stations on the Airport Line.

Under a revenue-sharing agreement, the Airport Link Company paid the government $68.6 million in a "train service fee" last financial year, up from $54 million in 2014-15.

The net boost to the government's coffers is offset by it having to "compensate" the private operator for passengers using Green Square and Mascot stations. That compensation has been estimated at $22 million last year.

The government has subsided the access fees for passengers using the two non-airport stations on the rail line since 2011.

Mr Constance said it was important to note that the station access fee for the airport stations was capped at $25 a week for Opal card holders who travelled by train to the airport more than once a week.

"Compare the cost of being able to get to the airport affordably from places such as the city relative to catching a cab and being stuck in traffic," he said.

"The access charges won't be there forever – they will come off at the end of the concession period."

Under the public-private partnership, the Airport Link Company's rights to operate the four stations on the line ends in 2030.

Extra buses to the airport also remain unlikely after Mr Constance said he would not "give any commitment" to new services.

"I do not want to continue to clog the streets with more buses if I can avoid it – that's the reality. But we will keep an eye on the services, and we will look at ways in which we can improve those services," he said.

The 400 service between Bondi Junction and Burwood remains the only public service that stops at the airport's domestic and international terminals.

[#Metro]

Trains will also run every 15 minutes late at night on weekdays, instead of every 20 to 30 minutes at present.

Oh dear. Makes Brisbane look bad.

[ozbob]

^ real bad ...

Becoming a national joke the SEQ PT mess ...

[Cazza]

Here's a life hack for you:

Whenever we travel to Sydney, we never get the train to/from the airport...

We always get a taxi from the airport to Mascot Station and then a train into the City. It saves us having to pay the Airport Station fee! Except when you tell the taxi driver the destination, he always looks p%ssed  because he's been sitting in that taxi queue for about 1hr.

This is a much better option in groups of about 5-6 people than just 1 person as getting 6 people from the Airport to the city is about $100 (an absolute joke).

[brissypete]

Here's a life hack for you:

Whenever we travel to Sydney, we never get the train to/from the airport...

We always get a taxi from the airport to Mascot Station and then a train into the City. It saves us having to pay the Airport Station fee! Except when you tell the taxi driver the destination, he always looks p%ssed  because he's been sitting in that taxi queue for about 1hr.

This is a much better option in groups of about 5-6 people than just 1 person as getting 6 people from the Airport to the city is about $100 (an absolute joke).

Or get the 400 to Mascot station

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

[Cazza]

Here's a life hack for you:

Whenever we travel to Sydney, we never get the train to/from the airport...

We always get a taxi from the airport to Mascot Station and then a train into the City. It saves us having to pay the Airport Station fee! Except when you tell the taxi driver the destination, he always looks p%ssed  because he's been sitting in that taxi queue for about 1hr.

This is a much better option in groups of about 5-6 people than just 1 person as getting 6 people from the Airport to the city is about $100 (an absolute joke).

Or get the 400 to Mascot station

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

When you have luggage, it is generally easier just to get a taxi. But, yes, a cheaper option still!

[verbatim9]

Safety concerns over state government plan to dump train guards on Newcastle to Sydney line

12 May 2017, 4:15 p.m.

"HOW much money do you put on someone's life?"

That's the question being asked by a Newcastle train guard who has spoken out against a state government plan to dump train guards on the Sydney to Newcastle line on the arrival of the new intercity rail fleet.

The guard, who spoke to the Newcastle Herald on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said train guards based in the city were concerned about the safety of passengers on driver-only trains.

He said "safety will be the big issue" and it came down to "whether the government cares or not".

"The public needs to know what's going on," the train guard said.

"They might save a bit of money, but you've got to ask yourself, is it worth one or two people dying each year when something goes wrong? Are we going to accept that? How much money do you put on someone's life?

The train guard wrote to Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp earlier this year detailing his experiences on the job. He said there were countless times when a two-man crew had been "just essential", including in a personal experience when he needed to render medical assistance after two people had been struck by a train.

"I'm all for modernisation but driver-only trains are just not going to work here," he said. "In urban areas it might be different because the stations are closer, but Newcastle to Sydney – you're going through a lot of isolated areas."

Mr Crakanthorp demanded the government spell out which routes will be driver-only, after a response to a question on notice said a driver-only train would operate "where safe to do so".

"The Minister must rule out removing guards from train services operating on Central Coast and Newcastle line," he said. "Safety is paramount. The train line passes through remote areas and the safety of passengers and crew needs to be assured."

A NSW TrainLink spokesman said: "Trains in other parts of Australia and around the world operate as driver only."

"NSW TrainLink will be working with staff, unions and regulators as we plan all elements of the operation of the new intercity trains, including emergencies, to ensure appropriate safety measures are in place before we proceed to operate the trains as driver only," the spokesman said.

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4658191/train-guard-speaks-out-against-unsafe-rail-plan/?cs=305

[#Metro]

Public agencies routinely put a value on human life for public policy purposes.

Best Practice Regulation Guidance Note
Value of statistical life - Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
December 2014

https://www.dpmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/Value_of_Statistical_Life_guidance_note.pdf

Based on international and Australian research a credible estimate of the value of
statistical life is $4.2m and the value of statistical life year is $182 000 in 2014 dollars

Injury, disease and disability

Many regulations have the benefit of reducing the risk of injury, disease or disability. One
method to value these benefits is to adjust the value of statistical life year (which could be
interpreted as the value of a year of life free of injury, disease and disability) by a factor that
accounts for the type of injury, disease or disability.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has published disability weights for most diseases and injuries that can be used to
adjust the VSLY (Mathers et al 1999, pp. 186-202). As an example, an amputated foot has a disability weight of 0.3, which equates to 30% of a VSLY or $54,600 per year (0.3*$182 000) when measured in 2014 dollars.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Extra trains put on Blue Mountains line to ease crowding and ensure tourists visit

Extra trains will be run between Sydney and the Blue Mountains to reduce severe overcrowding in carriages on weekends and allay fears some tourists will stop visiting the world-heritage area.

Bowing to pressure from tourism operators and local residents, the state government has announced plans for 24 new express train services between Sydney's Central Station and Katoomba in the Blue Mountains on weekends from late this year.

The express trains will operate eight-carriage sets – double the size of those running at present – and cut the travel times for a return journey by about 20 minutes to two hours.

The increase equates to about 25,000 additional seats each week, including an extra 18,000 on weekends. A new return express service between Lithgow and Sydney will also run on weekdays.

Tourism operators have been concerned that crowded trains and "absolutely disgraceful" toilets on services will deter visitors from the Blue Mountains.

Some weekend services have been operating at more than 150 per cent capacity, forcing many passengers to stand for long periods of their journeys.

The situation has been worst on Sundays, when large numbers of people take advantage of a $2.50 cap on travel using their Opal cards.

Jason Cronshaw, the managing director of Fantastic Aussie Tours, which operates the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus, said the extra trains would go a long way to reducing the likelihood of crowding.

"It will mean that pressure can be dispersed across more services," he said on Wednesday. "I was shocked [at the latest announcement] – I didn't think it would be that big."

Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the government would also take immediate action to ease the pressure by doubling capacity on six weekend services to the Blue Mountains in the first week of July from four to eight carriages.

"We know many weekend trains are packed to the brim so we're taking action right now," he said.

Sydney Trains chief executive Howard Collins said the trains to and from the Blue Mountains had been "packed to the gunwhales" and the extra services would help reduce the overcrowding in carriages for tourists and commuters alike.

"I've used them three or four times in the last few weeks and everyone is standing. Doubling the length of the train, giving that capacity that we really need, will make a massive difference," he said.

Mr Collins said the government's plans to spend $2.3 billion on a new fleet of intercity trains would also help improve services from 2019.

However, before the first of those new trains can start running to the Blue Mountains, station platforms and rail lines will have to be modified because they are too wide to make trips beyond Springwood to Katoomba and Lithgow.

"We are working with government and our engineers to find world-beating technologies so we can [run the new trains to Lithgow]," Mr Collins said.

"We are keen to do this as quickly as possible because the demand is there."

[verbatim9]

^^They seem to have it together. Meanwhile in Qld? NGR? Brisbane - Toowoomba Electrified Commuter Rai!?

Sent from my XT1562 using Tapatalk

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/smh/status/885616134065618947

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/892425022869954561

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/smh/status/894807956319031297

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/smh/status/895385495445831680

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Opal figures show skyrocketing passenger demand on Sydney train lines

Passenger demand for trains in Sydney has risen by almost 20 per cent on some lines in just a year, new figures show, underscoring the strain on the city's rail network.

The number of trips taken on the T7 Olympic Park Line surged by 19.6 per cent to almost 180,000 in July, compared with the same month a year earlier, reflecting the pace of growth in residential development in and around the former Olympic precinct.
The reason CBD train trips cost more

A quirk from the time of paper tickets means some commuters are unwittingly paying to travel further than the actual distance of their trip.

Patronage on the city's busiest line the T1, which includes western, north shore and northern services, rose by 10 per cent over the year, government figures based on Opal card usage shows.

Across the rail network, trips increased by more than 11 per cent, or 3.1 million, to 30.7 million in July, compared with the prior period.

The surge in demand places greater urgency on plans for public transport such as a new metro line between Sydney's CBD and Parramatta. Olympic Park and the Bays Precinct around Rozelle will be among up to 12 stations on the proposed line, which leaked government documents have estimated will cost up to $20 billion.

The T2, the second-busiest line which comprises airport, inner west and services to the south, rose by almost 14 per cent year-on-year. The T4 (Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra​) and the T3 (Bankstown) both recorded increases of about 10 per cent.

Geoffrey Clifton, a senior lecturer in transport management at Sydney University, said the figures showed that Sydney risked reaching a "gap in capacity" on its rail network sooner than forecast.

"There is absolutely the risk of overcrowding. We have already seen an increase in capacity and that is translating into more people using the service," he said.

The state's Auditor-General recently warned that Sydney's trains will increasingly struggle to run on time unless "sustained and substantial investment" is made in the existing heavy rail network. Rail patronage growth has been outstripping both the government's forecasts and the rail system's capacity to cope.

Last week the government announced plans to add 300 train services a week on the two main rail lines between western parts of Sydney and the CBD – the T1 and the T2 – from November, when a new timetable for the network is rolled out.

"It is going to alleviate some of the overcrowding, but it will encourage even more people to use public transport – we certainly seem to be in a growth cycle," Dr Clifton said. "A lot of that extra capacity will be soaked up more quickly than expected."

While highlighting the pressures of a fast-growing population, Dr Clifton said the statistics showed that the public transport system was improving and giving people greater confidence to travel on it.

"The places people are moving into are well served by public transport such as Olympic Park, Strathfield and Burwood," he said.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance told a business gathering on Wednesday that the government expected a 21 per cent surge in patronage on Sydney's trains in the next three years.

"If you want to know what keeps me awake at night, [it is] dealing with that 100-year-old network, trying to get a metro train built and then at the same time spending $1.5 billion to get 24 brand new Waratah trains," he said.

Mr Constance said the proposed Sydney West Metro line from the CBD to Parramatta simply had to be built because extra trains would not be able to be put on the T1 and T2 lines by 2031.

"We are looking to try to deliver a train that will travel between Parramatta and the CBD in well under 20 minutes," he told a Committee for Economic Development of Australia luncheon.

Of the other 10 busiest lines on the network, trips on the Blue Mountains line rose by 16.9 per cent, the T4 Cumberland 17.8 per cent, the South Coast 15.1 per cent, the Southern Highlands 19.8 per cent and Central Coast-Newcastle 9.9 per cent.

The latest figures from Opal data give a better insight into passenger demand on Sydney's train lines than previous measures.

While regarded as relatively minor, the magnitude of the increase over the year might be slightly higher because the last paper-based tickets did not cease to be accepted until August 1 last year.

Under the government's timetable, the proposed metro line from the CBD to Parramatta will be built next decade and operational in the second half of the 2020s.

It will link to the $20 billion metro railway under construction. Its first stage, from Sydney's north-west to Chatswood, is due for completion in 2019.

The second stage will continue on to the CBD, Sydenham, and on the existing Bankstown line, and should open in 2023.

[#Metro]

^ This is perfect information to support the case for CRR.

However, we need to get all day regular 15 minute trains for the lines, a properly connected and reformed bus network and a new train operator that will spend the time running new services and training staff rather than performing "what went wrong" reviews, inquiries and reports.

At least the fares are sorted for SEQ already, so that is one thing out of the way.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Sydney train commuters, staff set for new timetable 'revolution'

Commuters will experience the biggest overhaul of running times for Sydney's trains in four years from November 26 when a new timetable takes effect, as the government attempts to squeeze more out of the rail network to cope with a surge in demand.

A draft of the new timetable was released on Thursday to allow thousands of staff at Sydney Trains and NSW TrainsLink to prepare for the adjustments to services.

A quirk from the time of paper tickets means some commuters are unwittingly paying to travel further than the actual distance of their trip.

About 1500 extra services will run on the network each week – half of which will be at weekends – from November. The last overhaul of the timetable for Sydney's rail network was in 2013 when about 1000 services a week were added.

The new timetable presents a major logistical challenge for transport planners, requiring extra drivers and station staff.

The government will roll out a campaign in mid-October to raise public awareness about the new timetable to allow people to plan their journeys ahead of the changes.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the timetable changes would lead to an increase in "turn-up-and-go services" across the network, and 71 per cent of stations having a minimum frequency of a train every 15 minutes between 6am and 11pm throughout the week.

"This new timetable is going to be a revolution in terms of the way in which people will be able to enjoy the benefits of train travel across the network," he said.

The government has previously announced most of the 1500 new services, including about 250 weekly express services between Sydney's CBD and Parramatta and more than 200 services a week on the T8 Airport and South lines at off-peak times.

Mr Constance said the extra services had not happened "by accident", and were the result of the government investing $1.5 billion in the existing rail network.

"Ultimately, everyone is going to win from this. We are dealing with train choke points - we are untangling those with the $1.5 billion investment," he said.

The program includes upgrades to signalling, tracks and some stations, as well as 24 new Waratah trains which will begin suburban services from late next year.

The latest Opal data shows passenger demand for trains in Sydney has risen by almost 20 per cent on some lines such as the T7 Olympic Park Line in just a year.

Across the rail network, trips increased by more than 11 per cent, or 3.1 million, to 30.7 million in July, compared with the prior period.

The government is forecasting a 21 per cent increase in train patronage across the rail network by 2021.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/T3SydneyTrains/status/903165723098394624

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TrainLinkWest/status/905572985586712577

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/908374065529761792

[dancingmongoose]

I will be in Sydney over the weekend, what's a good station to visit?

[Cazza]

I will be in Sydney over the weekend, what's a good station to visit?

Most of the Intercity Lines are great journeys. If you travel up the Central Coast, I would recommend travelling via Gordon and the North Shore rather than Strathfield (better scenery). Get a Hornsby bound train (via Gordon) then change for a CC train at Hornsby.

Staying in the suburban area, doing the journey from Bondi Junction to Cronulla is a good one. You can catch the 333 from the City to Bondi Beach, get one photo like all the tourists do, then a bus back to Bondi Junction, then train to Cronulla.

Catching a bus anywhere along the South-Eastern beaches is nice too.

[verbatim9]

^^Check out the Wynyard station redevelopment. I also like the underground stations that are on the line between Chatswood and Epping. That line will close in 2018 for metro conversion.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsSyd/status/927444163250946048

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/T2SydneyTrains/status/931384770180694017

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Sydney's timetable shake-up to put commuters to the test

Sydney commuters will need to get more used to switching trains at stations rather than relying on one service to get them to their destinations when the biggest overhaul of the city's rail timetable in four years starts on Sunday.

Sunday will also mark the start of timetable changes for buses and ferries, and the introduction of the B-Line double-decker bus services from the northern beaches to the central city.

As part of the $514 million B-Line project, 38 double-decker buses will run every five minutes in the morning peak between the CBD and Newport on the northern beaches via 11 stops.

The real test for both the timetable overhaul and the introduction of the new B-Line buses will come on Monday when commuters return en masse after the weekend.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the timetables changes would mean almost metro-type trains in the morning peak for western Sydney commuters.

"At some stations, you can just turn up and get a service in a few minutes," she said.

The government has spruiked the 1500 extra weekly services, and 750 at weekends to be introduced as part of the timetable changes, as the largest increase in capacity on Sydney's rail network at one time.

Patronage on Sydney Trains surged by 11 per cent last year, forcing the government to rush the $1 billion purchase of 24 new suburban trains.

"We're putting on more services because people are demanding it," Ms Berejiklian said.

"This could mean you might have to change services when you didn't have to before, but all of us are going to get used to that into the future because our travel patterns are changing."

While the timetable changes will result in more frequent trains for tens of thousands of commuters, for some it will mean longer travel times because they will have to switch services to get to their destinations.

Transport for NSW also confirmed peak and off-peak times for Opal fares would not change, allaying fears from some commuters.

"The peak times described on timetable information signs currently at train stations across the network relate to train timetable planning and are provided to help customers understand the new timetable," a spokesman said.

Commuters gain a 30 per cent discount on full-price Opal fares for travelling outside the peak-hour periods of 7am to 9am and 4pm to 6.30pm on weekdays.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Mattonews/status/936320607330775040

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/937424133184356352

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Overcrowding on Sydney's trains rapidly getting worse as demand soar

Two in every five trains running through central parts of Sydney are overcrowded during the morning peak hour, the latest figures show, in a sign of the rapidly rising demand for public transport and the strain that is placing on the aged rail system.

The statistics contained in the NSW Auditor-General's report on the state's transport agencies, released on Friday, show a significant deterioration in overcrowding during the morning peak between September 2016 and March this year.

Some 41 per cent of trains passing through Central Station during the morning rush hour in March were overcrowded, compared with 25 per cent six months earlier.

The T1 Western, the T4 Illawarra and the T2 Inner West lines have the highest levels of overcrowding.

Trains stopping at Redfern on the Inner West Line were the worst affected during the morning peak hour between 8 and 9am, recording an average load factor of 164 per cent in March.

Passengers begin to suffer from overcrowding when trains have loads of 135 per cent, which is the benchmark used by transport officials.

The length of time a train needs to stop at a station when it becomes overcrowded is likely to blow out and cause the train, and others following, to run late.

The figures show overcrowding is less severe during the afternoon peak: 12 per cent of suburban trains were packed with passengers between 5pm and 6pm in March.

The Western Line and the Northern Line via Strathfield accounted for most of the trains that were overcrowded in the afternoon.

In an attempt to cope with the surging demand, an extra 1500 weekly train services were introduced as part of an overhaul of the rail timetable last month.



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December 15 2017 - 4:23PM
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Overcrowding on Sydney's trains rapidly getting worse as demand soars
Matt O'Sullivan

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Two in every five trains running through central parts of Sydney are overcrowded during the morning peak hour, the latest figures show, in a sign of the rapidly rising demand for public transport and the strain that is placing on the aged rail system.

The statistics contained in the NSW Auditor-General's report on the state's transport agencies, released on Friday, show a significant deterioration in overcrowding during the morning peak between September 2016 and March this year.
Train delays 'irrecoverable' under new timetable

An internal document reveals that delays to Sydney's trains are likely to be "cumulative and irrecoverable" during peak hours following incidents.

Some 41 per cent of trains passing through Central Station during the morning rush hour in March were overcrowded, compared with 25 per cent six months earlier.

The T1 Western, the T4 Illawarra and the T2 Inner West lines have the highest levels of overcrowding.
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    No room to move: Train delays 'irrecoverable' under new timetable

Trains stopping at Redfern on the Inner West Line were the worst affected during the morning peak hour between 8 and 9am, recording an average load factor of 164 per cent in March.

Passengers begin to suffer from overcrowding when trains have loads of 135 per cent, which is the benchmark used by transport officials.

The length of time a train needs to stop at a station when it becomes overcrowded is likely to blow out and cause the train, and others following, to run late.
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The figures show overcrowding is less severe during the afternoon peak: 12 per cent of suburban trains were packed with passengers between 5pm and 6pm in March.

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Surging demand is putting immense pressure on Sydney's rail network.
Surging demand is putting immense pressure on Sydney's rail network. Photo: Dominic Lorrimer

The Western Line and the Northern Line via Strathfield accounted for most of the trains that were overcrowded in the afternoon.

In an attempt to cope with the surging demand, an extra 1500 weekly train services were introduced as part of an overhaul of the rail timetable last month.

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Trains stopping at Redfern Station on the Inner West Line had the worst levels of overcrowding in March.
Trains stopping at Redfern Station on the Inner West Line had the worst levels of overcrowding in March. Photo: Ben Rushton

However, the increase in services has put more strain on the rail network, reducing the ability to make up time after delays caused by major incidents.

A Sydney Trains briefing document leaked early this month highlighted the challenges of the new timetable, warning delays to trains were likely to be "cumulative and irrecoverable" during peak hours following incidents.

The Auditor-General's report has also urged the state's transport agencies to take steps to stop the loss of revenue from passengers using Opal cards with negative balances to tap off after trips on public transport.

Revenue from unregistered Opal cards with negative balances cannot be recovered unless passengers top-up their cards.

The number of Opal cards with negative balances increased to 776,771 – amounting to $2.6 million owed to the state – in the 12 months to June, from 363,000 ($1.3 million) a year earlier.

And the Auditor-General warned the amount of lost revenue would continue to grow if passengers discard unregistered cards without paying for the remaining negative balances.

Transport for NSW estimates more than 22 million trips were taken by fare-evading passengers across all modes of public transport in the year to June. Of those, 9.7 million were on trains and 9.4 million on buses.

However, the agency estimates the revenue lost from people evading fares has fallen from $120 million in 2012 to $81 million.

The Auditor-General's report also showed that meeting punctuality targets continues to be a challenge for NSW Trains' intercity services. Data from Transport for NSW indicated that intercity trains achieved an average punctuality performance of about 89 per cent, which was below the target of 92 per cent.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/942848189282918400