Sydney metro disaster at the hands of NSW Gov’ sell off scheme

Revelations on today’s front page SMH have repeated what transport workers have been bellowing for months: Sydney’s new metro line is setting commuters up for a gridlocked network.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW Secretary, Alex Claassens said “Tax payer money would’ve been far better spent by upgrading and extending our current rail network, rather than spending 20 billion dollars ripping up perfectly good rail lines to replace them with single deck, metro trains.

“Once again, the NSW Minister for Transport, Andrew Constance has ignored expert advice and put commuters needs last, at the cost of his reckless pursuit to sell off our entire transport network to private operators.

“Commuters should be asking the NSW Minister for Transport why he is handing over their Epping to Chatswood line to a Hong Kong company only to be ripped up and replaced with single deck trains.

“This leaked information shows that the NSW Government completely discounted expert advice about the metro, and proves that Sydney commuter needs are no more than an afterthought for this NSW Government.  

“We should be adding to our existing transport network, instead of ripping up and replacing already existing rail lines.

 “The NSW Government is also ripping up 13.5kms of perfectly good heavy rail track from Sydenham to Bankstown for this new metro, which is just a permit for the overdevelopment in the area.

“While most countries around the world are looking at ways to improve transport for commuters, our government seems more preoccupied with finding ways to use our transport system to further its fixation with privatisation.

 Download the media release here.