Fed-up commuters will meet Monday night to discuss improvements to the South Coast line, in a sign of mounting discontent over peak hour overcrowding and the state of the region’s rail infrastructure.
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The event is a lobbying exercise in the leadup to the March 2019 state election. Up for discussion is extra carriages on the “overcrowded” four-car services, increased seating capacity on the proposed 2019 fleet, a tunnel from Thirroul to Waterfall.
Data obtained last week by Fairfax shows the line’s average load factor – a measure of the number of seats compared to passengers (a load factor of 100 per cent means there is a seat for each passenger), rose from 110 per cent (2016) to 116 per cent (2017).
The line’s maximum load factor rose from 141 to 145 per cent in the same period.
Passengers begin to suffer from overcrowding when trains have loads of 135 per cent, according to the benchmark used by transport officials.
Monday’s speakers include UOW rail authority Dr Phil Laird, Greens MP Dr Mehreen Faruqi, Keira MP Ryan Park and Bronwyn Batten –commuter and creator of the Illawarra Rail Fail Facebook page.
The meeting is at Wollongong Tennis Club, 37 Foley St Gwynneville, from 7pm to 8.30pm Monday.