Wollongong MP, Paul Scully has used a speech on the floor of the NSW Parliament to plead with the Minister for Transport, Andrew Constance to fix overcrowding on the South Coast Line before someone gets hurt.

He has asked the Minister to respond to a three-point plan Mr Scully put to him in June within seven days to show South Coast Line commuters he was serious about their concerns.

In June, Mr Scully wrote to the Minister outlining his three point plan to fix overcrowding, including:

1. Commit to reallocate carriages from the Newcastle, Central Coast and Blue Mountains Lines on the South Coast Line immediately upon the introduction of the new Intercity Fleet on the other lines in 2019;
2. Announce the pick-up only condition of travel at Central prior to departure and at each pick-up only station.
3. Provide additional staff at pick-up only stations to remind passengers of the pick-up only condition of using the 3.24pm and 3.54 pm services from Central.

Mr Scully told the Parliament that there are around 100 passengers using the South Coast Line who should not be, according to the Berejiklian Government’s own policy.

He told the Parliament South Coast Line commuters were sick of being ignored by the Minister and of having to stand for over an hour on services from Central to Thirroul and Wollongong stations.

Mr Scully slammed the Minister for not meeting with a deputation of South Coast Line commuters and for dismissing an invitation to travel on the overcrowded services to Wollongong to see personally what commuters were forced to put up with.

Comments attributable to Paul Scully MP:

“Someone soon is going to get hurt on overcrowded train services on the South Coast Line unless the Minister for Transport fixes this problem once and for all.

“I put a simple three-point plan to the Minister in June – nearly 100 days ago - which I have pleaded with him to adopt.

“Instead of ignoring my plan, or waiting for a more politically convenient time to adopt it, I urge the Minister to finally do the right thing and fix the overcrowding problem by telling us he will implement my three-point plan.

“There are currently about 100 commuters a day flooding onto South Coast Line services who, under the Government’s own policy, shouldn’t be on those four train carriages.

“What we need from the Minister now is a clear announcement that he takes seriously the overcrowding on our trains and he will commit to fixing the problem before a commuter gets hurt.”