NSW drops planned changes to T4, T8 and South Coast trains
The government says it will prioritise reliability after passengers and local MPs raised concerns about the proposed timetable.
Commuter opposition has prompted the NSW government to abandon a rail timetable overhaul for Sydney and the Illawarra. Premier Chris Minns announced the reversal on 24 October, ahead of the planned 15 November start.
Services on the T4, T8 and South Coast lines will retain their existing timetables. Minns said feedback from commuters and local MPs had informed the decision.
The proposal aimed to lift capacity and run trains more often, though some journeys were expected to become longer. Transport Minister John Graham had said 200 additional weekly services would shorten waits. At peak times, T4 trains were expected to run every 7.5 minutes rather than every 10 minutes.
Wollongong passengers would have had fewer direct airport connections because South Coast trains were to bypass Wolli Creek. Alternatives involved changing at Sutherland or Hurstville and then Wolli Creek, or taking an airport service from Central.
Removing the T8 stop at Sydenham would have added a transfer for passengers from Sydney’s south-west connecting with the Metro. Those passengers would also have lost direct peak-time access to Redfern, Erskineville and St Peters.
Graham said improving the reliability of existing services would now take priority, alongside continued consultation with communities about future improvements.
