Transport NSW counts train passengers

Transport for NSW has confirmed it has been counting passengers on trains departing from Woy Woy for Central.

But according to the Member for Gosford, Ms Liesl Tesch, they've been wasting their time and money.

"It beggars belief that they need to pay people to go and count passengers," Ms Tesch said.

"Opal data, more than a few news articles, and what must be near daily complaints, I would have hoped the Minister and the Department of Transport would have a pretty decent idea of the reality of our trains," she said.

A Peninsula News reader reported observing young people counting passengers on the 7:13am train from Woy Woy to Central on Wednesday, March 21.

The Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Mr Scot MacDonald, took the question to Transport for NSW.

The Department responded via Mr MacDonald's office: "Transport for NSW was conducting manual passenger counts on-board trains departing Gosford to Central during the morning peak on March 21 and 22 as part of our analysis of the customer load on train services."

No further information was provided.

Ms Tesch commented: "The Minister ignored our requests during the timetable review for additional carriages on the 5:08am from Woy Woy which is at capacity when it leaves the Coast, with the new timetable leaving the Coast with no additional services.

"I have previously asked the Minister for passenger information for our line, but was told that it was all available online and I should just look there, but it seems that even the Minister doesn't know how many people are on those trains.

"I am happy to again reliably inform the Minister and the Department of Transport that the trains are full and we need more services to and from the Coast during peak times.

"We aren't raising these concerns for fun, we are doing it because we need a better service for our commuters," Ms Tesch said.

SOURCE:

Media statement, 13 Apr 2018

Kit Hale, Office of Scot MacDonald MLC

Media statement, 17 Apr 2018

Richard Mehrtens, Office of Liesl Tesch MP

Reporter: Jackie Pearson