Rail network loses 273 services, commuters warned of slower, crowded trains

South-east Queensland commuters have been warned to expect delayed services, longer travel times and crowded trains from next week as a wage dispute between unions and the state government continues.

From Tuesday, the rail network will run with 273 fewer services – a capacity of about 80 per cent – on a timetable similar to those offered on Saturdays.

This will mean 15-minute services for the Gold Coast, Cleveland, Redcliffe Peninsula, Springfield, Ferny Grove, Caboolture and Ipswich lines, a drop from usual services every six to 10 minutes.

Other lines including Shorncliffe, Beenleigh, the Sunshine Coast between Caboolture and Nambour, Rosewood and Eagle Junction will run every 30 minutes.

Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said efforts were being made to reduce the impact on lines with the greatest patronage, including extra services during peak morning and afternoon periods, but he warned commuters to expect disruptions.

“The trains will be more crowded [and] it will be slower as more people are required to move in and out of the trains,” he said.

Outside of peak hours, trains are expected to operate on 30-minute intervals instead of 15 minutes.

Services were being reduced as a result of “a backlog of maintenance, unaddressed service faults and delays to critical component overhaul projects”, which Mickelberg said was a direct consequence of industrial action by the unions.

“Queensland Rail is, and continues to be, ready to deliver services that Queenslanders expect, and the reason they haven’t been able to do that is because of union activity,” he said.

“So my message to the unions today is, stop your strike action. Get back to work and get back to the negotiating table.”

Queensland Rail chief executive Kat Stapleton said she shared the frustration of commuters who had faced disruptions in recent weeks.

“Queensland Rail wants to run a full timetable, but we can’t do that during this continued union-protected industrial action,” Stapleton said.

Seven unions connected to rail services are engaged in wage negotiations with Queensland Rail.

All rejected the government’s latest offer at a Fair Work Commission meeting on Monday, and vowed to continue “low-level action” causing “minor disruptions” in coming weeks.

Mickelberg said union action to date affected Queensland Rail’s “rolling stock”, with many trains still offline.

Because of this, a decision had been made to issue parts of the rail maintenance workforce with section 471 notices, meaning they will not be paid if works are not completed.

“Those who are striking right now, if you’re not doing your job, we won’t be paying,” Mickelberg said.

“If this is not a lockout, we welcome the rail maintenance workforce coming back to work and doing their job, in which case they will be paid.”

Union representatives are due to meet with Queensland Rail again on May 7. Comment has been sought from unions.

Queensland Rail said the network’s Journey Planner would be updated overnight.

Mickelberg said extra bus services would be deployed to fill gaps, but noted constraints given the time of year.

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