Drivers’ meeting will again stop Friday trains

11/02/2004

Train services on all metropolitan lines will be suspended from about 11am on Friday for another stop-work meeting of members of the Australian Rail, Tram and Bus Industry Union.

The meeting, to report on the progress of Enterprise Bargaining Agreement negotiations with the Public Transport Authority, is scheduled to start at 12 noon.  A similar meeting two weeks ago finished just before 3pm and services were back to normal by about 4pm.

The Union has not given the PTA any assurances that its members will be returning to work at the conclusion of this week’s meeting

PTA Acting CEO Reece Waldock said today that the Friday meeting was going ahead despite a PTA request that it be postponed until Sunday morning, when the impact on Perth’s travelling public would be greatly reduced.

As was the case on January 30, Transperth has allocated buses to rail replacement duties for the duration of the train stoppage.  Rail replacement bus services 707 (on the Armadale line), 404 (Joondalup line), 606 (Fremantle line) and 505 (Midland line) will operate to and from Perth, picking up and dropping commuters at the red rail replacement stops near train stations.

“We expect demand to be heavy, so we would urge our customers to be patient and forward-plan their travel,” Mr Waldock said.

The bus trips take longer than the respective rail journeys, so commuters should allow extra travelling time.  Surfboards and bicycles are not permitted on Transperth buses.

Further information is available through the Transperth InfoLine on 13 62 13, TTY:9428 1999 (delays may be encountered) or from the website, www.transperth.wa.gov.au