Moving train carriages from the Newcastle line would solve the problems of overcrowding on the South Coast line, according to Gareth Ward.
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The Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra admitted “there is currently overcrowding” on the South Coast line and that he had been bringing the issue to the attention of Transport Minister Andrew Constance.
The overcrowding problem is centred on two afternoon services that leave Central at 3.24pm and 3.54pm and run on the South Coast line.
These trains are only four cars and commuters have complained about having to get to Central station 45 minutes early, of having to use the toilet due to a lack of seats or even bringing their own folding chair.
READ MORE: No more carriages for the South Coast line
With the rollout of the New Intercity Fleet to reach Newcastle and the Central Coast before the Illawarra, there has been some suggestion the Oscar carriages on the northern line could be reallocated to the South Coast.
Transport for NSW has declined to state whether that will definitely happen.
Last week a spokeswoman said some carriages would be used elsewhere, but implied that may not include the Illawarra.
“Where possible, the Oscar trains will be re-deployed to replace retiring older trains on the suburban network,” the spokeswoman said.
Mr Ward said he was working on a number of options to deal with crowding, including moving carriages to the South Coast line.
“When you add the new trains to the Central Coast, you can use the trains that are no longer being used on that line to come to other parts of the network, and that’s what I will be seeking to do,” Mr Ward said.
“I have already been pushing for that.”
However, he added that “at the end of the day that’s a decision for the minister”.
Labor MPs in the region have also been calling for the reallocation of train carriages from Newcastle after the rollout of the New Intercity Fleet.
In fact Wollongong MP Paul Scully has called on Mr Constance to commit now to sending those carriages to the South Coast.
“Part of my suggestions was at least, if the New Intercity Fleet is going to be rolled out on the Newcastle and Central Coast line in 2019, there should be a guarantee that any rolling stock that can be freed up, that can be used on the South Coast line, is guaranteed to come to the South Coast line before it goes anywhere else,” Mr Scully said.
He added that the government doesn’t seem to have any immediate measures in place to deal with crowding before the arrival of the new trains.
“There doesn’t seem to be any real interest in doing anything, which is even worse.”
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
