Commuters shouldn’t bear brunt of NSW transport bungles

Image: AAP.

MEDIA RELEASE,  23 October 2017

 Transport workers are calling on the Transport Minister, Andrew Constance, to rule out charging commuters extra to travel on our public transport services, saying that commuters shouldn’t be forced to stump up for the NSW Government’s mismanagement of our transport systems.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW Secretary, Alex Claassens, said suggestions that passengers across NSW may be forced to pay more for their public transport fares are a slap in the face to commuters currently dealing with a myriad of transport bungles of the NSW Government’s making.

“We might be able to have a conversation about slight fare increases if we had a transport system that was working for commuters, but to ask commuters to pay for the bungled services the NSW Government is currently providing? You’ve got to be kidding,” Mr Claassens said.

“The NSW Transport Minister is busy selling our transport services off to the private sector, which we already know will drive costs to commuters up and lead to a decrease in services.

“Critical transport jobs are also being cut by Minister Constance, which is making our transport system less safe, less reliable and more difficult to navigate. Why should commuters be asked to pay more for that?

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“Many commuters on key rail lines like the Bankstown and Blue Mountains lines are about to hit with long-term rail line closures because of this government’s lack of foresight and appropriate planning, which will cause immense inconvenience to commuters. How offensive to think those commuters could be asked to stump up more for their tickets.

“This Transport Minister has proven to be completely incapable of delivering the transport system NSW deserves, and now there’s talk of him being the Minister responsible for increasing transport fares? What a joke.”