Will an expected influx of 20,000 fans to Wollongong for the Sir Elton John concert, ‘Once in a Lifetime Tour’, overwhelm transport services on the South Coast Line unless the Berejiklian Government reveals its plans for the event later this month?
That’s the question the Shadow Minister for Transport, Jodi McKay MP, Wollongong MP, Paul Scully, Wollongong Lord Mayoral candidate, Councillor David Brown, and Wollongong City Council Ward 2 candidate, Tania Brown, are demanding answers to.
The Government earlier last month announced additional train services for the Sydney Network for weekends, but failed to provide more services for the South Coast Line.
A report published in the Illawarra Mercury on 24 July 2017 showed train overcrowding on the 4.42pm afternoon services from Wollongong to Sydney following a football match at WIN Stadium.
Almost half of all the tickets for the concert have been sold to fans outside of the Illawarra.
Paul Scully wrote to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Andrew Constance MP, on 1 August 2017 requesting Transport for NSW provide additional train services to accommodate the influx of Elton John fans.
Mr Scully’s letter warned the Minister that “…existing passenger services on the South Coast Line will be overwhelmed on Sunday, 24 September…” unless planning for the event was underway.
Overcrowded train services on the South Coast Line has been a controversial issue for the last 12 months, with local Illawarra Labor MPs calling on the Government to add carriages to existing afternoon services during the week to accommodate increasing commuter demand on the South Coast Line.
The Government last added carriages to one afternoon South Coast Line service from Central to Kiama in 2014.
Comments attributable to Jodi McKay MP:
"This is an opportunity to showcase the Illawarra to visitors from across Australia. The Government needs to step up and ensure that visitors can easily get to and from the region.
"I'm calling on Transport Minister Andrew Constance to listen to local stakeholders, like tourism leaders, who understand the region and know how important these extra transport services will be in making this event a success.
"For too long, the Illawarra has been let down by this Liberal Government. We know the South Coast Line is at breaking point and it's time the Government started delivering increased services to the region.”
Comments attributable to Paul Scully MP:
“I want the 20,000 estimated crowd expected at Sir Elton John’s concert in Wollongong to enjoy a hassle-free night.
“Half of the crowd will be from outside of Wollongong and they deserve a positive trip to our city, not have their noses pressed against glass, shoe-horned into train carriages, standing for an hour-and-a-half, as they snake their way to Wollongong on overcrowded train services.
“The Government has let our commuters down time and again by refusing to add carriages to trains which are chockers with people on peak afternoon services from Central to Wollongong during the week.
“I wrote to the Transport Minister about this a month ago, and now with just 20 days until the concert, we need an answer – will the Government add carriages or won’t they.”
