If you usually catch a train in Sydney and had an absolute clusterfuck of a time trying to catch one today, then you’re not alone.
Lightning strikes, staff sickness and planned annual leave all caused entire trains to be cancelled, meaning those that made it to the station were unfathomably crowded.
Hey @AndrewConstance @GladysB this is the second train I haven’t been able to board due to overcrowding. What a joke #sydneytrains @7NewsSydney pic.twitter.com/r19zsuVR2a
— Igor J (@igzzz84) January 8, 2018
Overnight, there were more than 4600 lightning strikes in the greater part of Sydney, disrupting networks between Bankstown and Lidcombe, Bankstown and Cabramatta, and Gordon and Chatswood.
It comes directly after yesterday’s transport nightmare, when staff shortages meant entire trains had to be cancelled because there was no one to drive or guard them.
“We had a number an impressive number of drivers who were sick today, also people have worked extremely hard over that Christmas and New Year‘s period, so we had less available overtime,” said Sydney Trains CEO Howie Collins yesterday.
Just one driver not turning up for work caused a 22 minute delay, said Collins, and that was one of several incidents.
“We are seeing high levels of sickness of our train drivers, unusually so, but we are managing that well. We know that numbers of customers using our networks are down, so we’re adjusting our services accordingly.”
But it doesn’t look like that’s going too smoothly, if the white hot anger of the general public is anything to go by.
https://twitter.com/miniestmini/status/950506092546613248
https://twitter.com/sylvO_/status/950480203679129600
https://twitter.com/DeeeTeeeEsss/status/950490765960011776
https://twitter.com/kiarraowen/status/950467981598892033
Left home an hour early and I’m going to be late to work because Sydney Trains decided cancelling services was a great idea… 😡
— Emily Meredith (@Emmy9394) January 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/Kaneosaurus/status/950449835253014528
https://twitter.com/jamesmiller62/status/950297511633145856
It doesn’t look like the (poor, beleaguered) social media manager for the T2 Sydney Train line is dealing with the bombardment of abuse too well, either.
Hey there, I am onto train control now and there should be a train on the platform now. Are you heading to the city?
— T2 Sydney Trains (@T2SydneyTrains) January 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/T2SydneyTrains/status/950474581717934080
Praying for your commute home, tbh.
