Bus privatisation and COVID-19 media

It’s been tough for transport workers during this health crisis and with restrictions due to ease, it’s been hard for our essential frontline bus drivers. We’ve been calling for masks and for a proper plan from the NSW Government for public transport.

Another top concern has also been the tender announcement and the NSW Government’s ongoing plans to privatise the last remaining publicly-owned bus regions. We know privatisation doesn’t work. It just leads to more jobs being at risk and services being cut.

We’ve been out there talking to the media about our concerns:

SMH: Sydney bus drivers resort to home-made masks amid COVID-19 crisis

2GB interview: Pressures on bus drivers during the COVID-19 crisis

SMH: An hour to get from Newtown to CBD: warnings over impending gridlock

The Guardian: ‘Give us bloody masks’: union calls for Covid-19 protection for public transport workers

SMH: Limits on train commuters, more CBD parking and bike lanes as Sydney returns to work

ABC News: Public to ‘suffer’ if buses privatise

The Manly Daily: Private companies invited to take over public buses on the northern beaches and north shore (please note this article is behind a paywall)

9 News: David Babineau on the train and bus commute