SECOND RATE NORTH WEST RAIL LINK TO CAUSE CHAOS FOR COMMUTERS

Media Release | Tuesday, 2 October 2012

SECOND RATE NORTH WEST RAIL LINK TO CAUSE CHAOS FOR COMMUTERS

PASSENGERS WON'T BE ABLE TO GET ONTO OVERCROWDED TRAINS  

The O'Farrell Government's North West Rail Link is a Hills to Chatswood shuttle service that will cause chaos for commuters - and leave them waiting on overcrowded platforms trying to get onto trains that are already full.

It was revealed today that Transport for NSW data shows commuters using the Hills to Chatswood shuttle will be forced to wait for at least two full trains to go through Chatswood Station before they can hop on and continue their commute to the city.  

"Commuters will come last under the Hills to Chatswood shuttle," Shadow Transport Minister, Penny Sharpe said today.

"Barry O'Farrell promised a fully integrated direct rail link between the North West and the CBD, but instead commuters will get a service slower than the bus and will be standing all the way to the city with no chance of a seat."

Transport experts have confirmed residents will have a faster commute to work on the bus than the North West Rail Link:  

"We've done some calculations from just about everywhere where someone would begin the trip to the city, and except for the Cherrybrook people, there would be a significant saving in time by sticking with the bus."
- David Hensher, Nine News, 2 September 2012

"The Government's own figures show that trains on the Northern Line are at 160 per cent capacity and trains on the North Shore Line at Chatswood are at up to 150 per cent capacity," Ms Sharpe said.

"At 160 per cent capacity, a train has 74 people standing in every aisle and around the doors of each carriage.

"Passengers will be packed in like sardines on Chatswood Station platforms and forced to swap onto trains headed for the city that are already overcrowded.  

"The Premier has dudded the people of north west Sydney with this second rate shuttle service.

"Commuters from Epping to Chatswood and Newcastle to the Central Coast will all feel the crush.

"Commuters deserve and were promised better."