Sydney train services to halt from Thursday to Sunday due to industrial action

# Sydney train services to halt from Thursday to Sunday due to industrial action by Rail, Tram and Bus Union Sydney trains will stop between Thursday and Sunday due to industrial action by the Rail Tram and Bus Union. (Facebook: Transport for NSW) Sydney's rail network will grind to a halt between Thursday and Sunday due to industrial action by the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU). The union had put an ultimatum to the NSW government to either run all rail lines around the clock from Thursday to Sunday, or face a complete shut down. The government agreed to that last weekend, but said that would not be possible this week, instead proposing to run a 24-hour service between Hornsby and Strathfield. Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the union rejected that offer at a meeting today, opting to go ahead with the strike. She said it was not possible for the state government to sustain 24-hour train services over the weekend. "If we continue to try and run 24-hour services over the weekend that fact is that it will eventually lead to the failure of our rail network," Ms Haylen said. She said it would cause “major disruption for millions of train passengers”. Jo Haylen says running trains 24-hours a day was not sustainable. (ABC News: Keana Naughton) ## 'We have to prepare for no train services' Sydney Trains chief executive Matt Longland said the strike would cause major delays across the city's train network, which carries 1 million people per day. "At this point we have to prepare for no train services," he said. "I'm asking people to think about travelling well outside the peak, to make alternative arrangements, to plan well ahead." Mr Longland said Sydney Trains had requested support from Sydney Metro for additional services on Thursday and Friday before the Metro closes this weekend for maintenance. "That will be an additional factor as we look towards the weekend that we will not have Metro services to augment a stoppage at Sydney trains," he said. About 70,000 Pearl Jam fans expected to descend upon Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday and Saturday evening. Mr Longland said attendees should make alternative travel plans. "We will have no major event buses at this stage, we will reply on car parks, carpooling and ride share services," he said. Loading