Sydneysiders Are Getting 12 Days Of Free Transport After The NSW Govt Cooked It Last Month
Commuters get free public transport, as a little treat.
Sydneysiders are in for a little treat next month, with commuters being offered 12 days of free public transport as an apology for Transport NSW, well, causing complete and utter chaos over the last couple of weeks. Essentially, it’s like an advent calendar in April, but instead of chocolate, it’s public transport officers not fining you for forgetting to tap on.
From April 14-26, the entire Sydney transport network will be free as a “thank you” to commuters. The freebies include all methods of public transport — trains, buses, light rail, and the ferries — and it extends to Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, the Hunter Valley, Illawarra, and the Blue Mountains.
“To commuters affected by recent rail disruptions, I want to say a heartfelt thank you for your patience,” NSW Transport Minister David Elliot told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I hope the fare-free 12 days of Easter is a way for you to enjoy quality time with family and friends during the school holidays, while at the same time helping to revitalise our city centres and local communities.”
The news comes after weeks of negotiations between the NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union, and Transport NSW — with the former being initially blamed for last month’s 24hr shut down when it was actually the latter who was responsible for it.
Despite the fact that it was Transport NSW’s decision to axe services for 24hrs last month, Minister Elliot blasted the union — likening the organisation to terrorists at the time.
Basically, the RTBU threatened to continue striking every Friday until June unless the government agreed to make transport free. So when you’re saving some extra cash next month, let that serve as a reminder to join your union.
It is unclear how much the initiative will actually cost the government, but 9News estimates it is close to $14 million, which seems like a fair price to pay considering how much last month’s shutdown impacted commuters across the entire state.