The NSW Government has been accused of ‘letting residents down at the worst possible time’ after it decided to shut down part of the Sydney Metro over the Easter long weekend.
The Sydney Metro M1 line, which runs for 66km, will be closed from 2am on Friday to 2am on Tuesday between Tallawong and Sydenham for testing ahead of the Bankstown expansion later this year.
Replacement buses will instead operate between Tallawong and Chatswood, with Sydney Trains running between Chatswood and Sydenham.
But Member for Willoughby Tim James hit out at the decision to close the Metro during what’s likely to be a busy long weekend.
‘Does it really need to get done over a busy Easter long weekend amidst a fuel crisis?’ James told Daily Mail.
‘You would think there would be a real drive and desire to have more people on public transport.
‘It’s a shame and we’ve had limited notice. With trackwork, you seem to only find out in the week leading up to it.’
James pointed out that the Metro and heavy rail (North Shore Line) were both out of action last weekend for trackwork.
The Sydney Metro M1 line will be closed from 2am on Friday to 2am on Tuesday between Tallawong and Sydenham
Member for Willoughby Tim James criticised the decision to close the Metro during the Easter long weekend
He said he was ‘dismayed’ that Sydneysiders again have to put up with public transport disruptions, particularly given the current fuel crisis which is gripping the nation.
‘We’re in the midst of a fuel shock affecting price, supply, consumer confidence and more,’ he said.
‘Replacement buses will use a lot of diesel particularly.’
James highlighted the impact the Metro has had on his electorate and was worried small businesses wouldn’t be able to cash in on the long weekend.
‘I’m conscious of what it means for small businesses. Since the Metro came in, the number of passengers coming through Chatswood Station is up 35 per cent,’ he said.
‘I think people will think twice about whether they’ll head out for a meal.
‘For all these reasons, no Metro this long weekend is a spectacularly bad failure for Sydney residents and visitors. The NSW Labor Government is letting us down at the worst possible time right now.’
If the Metro closures weren’t bad enough for north shore residents, roadworks will take place on the busy Warringah Freeway from Thursday night to Monday morning.
The Warringah Freeway, northbound will close between Thursday night to Monday morning
Metro users will need to find alternative transportation this weekend
Northbound traffic lanes on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and in the Sydney Harbour Tunnel will be closed from:
• 10:30pm Thursday to 8am Friday
• 8pm Friday to 8am Saturday
• 10pm Saturday to 8am Sunday
• 8pm Sunday to 9am Monday
Southbound outer lanes on the Warringah Freeway will also be closed during these times. Traffic will instead be detoured via the Pacific Highway.
There will be weekend day and night work along the freeway and intersections in North Sydney, Neutral Bay, Cammeray, and Naremburn from 10pm on Thursday to 9am on Monday.
Aussies online were frustrated by the trackwork on such a busy long weekend.
‘They should just publish the dates that the metro is actually open. It’s a bit comical,’ one person said.
‘Given the metro was out last weekend, why all work needed over Easter… it’s not that old,’ another said.
Some however, said it was important the work got done.
‘If it speeds up southwest Metro I’m all for the trackwork. No more delays. No more replacement buses,’ one person said.
‘Unless you have a crystal ball, stop whining. I’d rather have weekend disruptions than a coroner investigating multiple deaths due to government underfunding of the critical public transport system,’ another said.
Daily Mail contacted the Minister for Transport John Graham for comment.
