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A three-day closure on Sydney’s city rail network is expected to cause “significant disruption” for hundreds of thousands of Australians this weekend.
The Railway, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) has planned a strike starting Friday morning in Sydney, as well as on intercity services.
Transport for NSW announced on Wednesday that the RTBU had not lifted its strike and that the rail network would close from Friday to Sunday.
It came after the union initially said the strike would begin at 10pm on Thursday, but then pledged to maintain normal services.
The update came as a relief to Pearl Jam’s 40,000 fans, many of whom will travel to Olympic Park on 86 additional services scheduled for Thursday night.
Trains are expected to stop running on Friday morning when the union goes on strike following a month-long standoff with the New South Wales government.
To further complicate matters, track work on the Metro line means services will only run between Tallawong and Chatswood on Saturdays and Sundays.
“The union strike is still planned for Friday and Saturday and we know it will have a huge impact on millions of people who rely on these rail services,” NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen told 2GB.
A three-day closure on Sydney’s city rail network is expected to cause “significant disruption” for millions of Australians this weekend (pictured, commuters at Martin Place)
Why are they Sydney trains on strike?
The strike planned for later this week follows a month-long dispute between the union and the New South Wales government.
The RTBU demands that the Minnesota government give railroad employees a 32 percent pay increase over four years and 24-hour train service Thursday through Sunday.
The government offered railway workers a 9.5 percent pay rise over three years, but the union rejected it.
Train services ran 24 hours a day over the previous weekend to avoid stop-work bans. However, NSW Transport officials said continuing 24-hour services from Thursday to Sunday was not sustainable.
“Last weekend we saw the government very successfully manage 24-hour public transport in Sydney,” union secretary Toby Warnes told ABC TV’s News Breakfast programme.
‘We really don’t see any reason why he can’t do it this weekend. I think the Minister of Transport’s announcement surprised us as much as everyone else.’
NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen (pictured) said the strike would affect millions
Some Metro services will also remain closed for maintenance over the weekend
Are there trains running on the weekend?
Initially, the strike was scheduled for four days, from Thursday at 10:00 p.m. until Sunday.
Transport NSW announced on Wednesday it had agreed with the union to provide services on Thursday, including a planned 86 additional services to Olympic Park for a Pearl Jam concert.
The vast majority of trains are expected to stop Friday morning and continue well into the weekend.
“At this time, the RTBU has not agreed to end its strike,” a Transport NSW statement said.
“The bans notified by the union will result in the closure of the heavy rail network on Friday, Saturday and until Sunday morning of this weekend.”
The disruptions will affect passengers traveling to and from Newcastle, the Central Coast, the Blue Mountains, the Southern Highlands and the Illawarra.
The Sydney Metro from Chatswood in the north to Sydenham in the inner west is also closed for maintenance at weekends.
Haylen is hopeful the concession will give the union and government more time to reach an agreement before the weekend.
“It gives us another day to continue our negotiations and hopefully get people where they need to go,” the minister said.
Commuters are urged to seek alternative transport where possible and allow additional travel time (pictured, commuters at Sydney Town Hall station)
When will the strike end?
Train services will resume from mid-morning on Sunday, although closures are expected to continue each week until a solution is reached.
“Sydney Trains and NSW Trains remain committed to finding a solution for our workforce this Christmas time,” NSW Transport said.
After a deal was not reached between NSW Transport and RTBU, Ms Haylen said it was the union’s responsibility to lift its work bans.
‘We want to keep our city moving. Nobody wants this. Passengers don’t want this. I don’t want this. “The government doesn’t want this,” he said.
“But the only way to keep the trains running and get people where they need to go is for the union to call off their strike.”
What alternative services are available to travelers?
The strike presents a complicated situation for the government since it involves According to government data, 720,000 people use Sydney’s rail network every day.
Travelers are urged to seek alternative transportation whenever possible and allow additional travel time.
Replacement buses and other services, including ferries and ride-sharing services, will be implemented to curb the impact of the closure.
NSW Transport Secretary Josh Murray explained the closure would place additional strain on replacement services.
“They will already be running on Thursday and Friday at their usual capacities, so the amount of additional capacity on the bus and ferry network will be tested,” Mr Murray told the ABC.
The strike will cause an influx of traffic congestion across Greater Sydney as commuters choose to drive to their destinations or use replacement bus services.
How will the strike affect the roads?
The move will cause an influx of traffic congestion across Greater Sydney as commuters choose to drive to their destinations or use a replacement bus.
The strike could also lead to increased demand and greater availability of ride-sharing services, such as Uber.
However, ride-sharing services are more expensive than train services and an increase in demand could cause prices to increase.