Concerns about potential commuter chaos in Sydney with major changes to some bus routes
There are concerns about potential commuter chaos in parts of Sydney tomorrow with major changes to some bus routes. The changes were designed to compliment the city's multi-billion dollar metro line which was due to open today but has now been delayed indefinitely.
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00:00Well, tens of bus routes have either changed or been cut completely in anticipation of
00:07Sydney's Chatswood to Sydenham Metro line opening.
00:11The Metro was due to open today but has been delayed indefinitely.
00:16These bus route changes, however, have come into effect from today and it does mean that
00:21there are a number of areas in North Sydney that no longer have a direct bus route into
00:27the CBD.
00:28These changes were, of course, designed to sort of ferry people onto the Metro but without
00:34the Metro opening there are people that are going to be left stranded or with significant
00:41changes to their routes into the CBD.
00:47These bus changes, the timetable changes, have come into effect from today but the real
00:51test will be tomorrow when commuters are trying to get to work.
00:56We're told that additional buses, replacement buses, will be running tomorrow as well as
01:02staff being stationed at some of these Metro stops to redirect people onto their best route
01:09into the CBD.
01:11The Metro was, of course, due to open today.
01:14It's been long awaited.
01:16Many people are really looking forward to this Metro line opening.
01:21It has, however, now been delayed indefinitely.
01:24We don't know when the Metro might open.
01:27We're told that additional safety checks are still being undertaken and that the National
01:34Rail Safety Regulator does still need to sign off on the Metro.
01:39There have been a number of safety concerns raised by firefighters over the last few weeks
01:45and months, including just last week during one of these safety drills.
01:49A firefighter did suffer an electric shock.
01:52So that incident is still being investigated and may well delay the opening of this Metro
01:59even further.
02:00We don't have any idea yet when the new opening date will be.
02:05The Minister hasn't yet set a new opening date.
02:08We're waiting for the National Rail Safety Regulator to sign off on the Metro before
02:14it can open to passengers.