Confusion over the forthcoming intercity rail fleet could see some South Coast services losing hundreds of seats.
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Yes, hundreds – and that’s per train, not overall.
And some of those who do get a seat will be sitting backwards for the entire trip.
The new intercity fleet servicing the Illawarra will begin rolling out in 2019.
The rollout of more than 500 carriages will continue through to 2024.
The new trains feature phone chargers in each armrest, extra space for luggage, bicycles and prams, and improved access for customers with disabilities.
They also have two-by-two seating – rather that the three-by-two pattern now on South Coast services – with fixed seats which means some commuters will sit backwards.
Transport for NSW has said the two-by-two seating was in response to customer feedback for more space.
However, more space means fewer seats.
And there might even be fewer seats that first thought.
On Wednesday, the Mercury reported on a letter written by Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Mark Coure that stated intercity trains on the South Coast line would be 10 carriages.
“I can confirm the fleet will operate as eight and 10-car sets,” Mr Coure said in the letter.
“Ten-car sets will have 820 seats and are designed to address increases to patronage on the South Coast line.”
However, a TfNSW spokesman stated this week that “the new intercity fleet will operate as an eight-car set on the South Coast line”.
That’s an instant loss of around 160 seats.
An eight-car Oscar set that runs on the South Coast line now has 904 seats.
An eight-car intercity fleet train will have around 650 – a loss of at least 250 seats.
But TfNSW said South Coast commuters will still be able to find a seat.
“Based on current services and projected demand, on average more than 95 per cent of intercity customers will have a seat available on the new intercity fleet,” a spokesman said.
“It is only customers boarding from stations closer to the CBD who may at times have to stand.”
This only holds true for services in the morning peak; in the afternoon peak South Coast commuters boarding the train at Central would have no such guarantee of a seat.
Taking 200 seats out of some of those services would risk them surpassing the TfNSW benchmarked load factor of 135 per cent.
That figure, which equates to 40 people standing in each carriage, is considered by TfNSW to be when train punctuality is seriously affected.
Mr Coure was contacted for comment.