Only 82.5% of Sydney Trains services arrived within five or six minutes of their scheduled times in the year to 30 June, a significant drop from 87.9% the previous year and well short of the state government's 92% target.
The New South Wales government defines punctuality as trains running within five minutes of schedule for suburban services and six minutes for intercity trains. A Sydney Trains spokesperson attributed the decline to protected industrial action, severe weather, and other unforeseen factors such as fatalities, sick passengers, and police operations.
Intercity services were particularly affected, with only 70.5% running on time. The Blue Mountains line recorded its worst performance ever at 69%, while the Central Coast line also hit a record low of 68.7%. The Southern Highlands line showed slight improvement but remained at just 60%.
Transport Minister John Graham said settling the rail agreement would now allow focus on reliability. Opposition Leader Mark Speakman criticised Labor MPs in affected areas, accusing them of being absent and urging them to experience the delays firsthand. Graham countered that under the previous Liberal government, on-time running fell to 71% in one month in 2022 and missed the 92% target in 10 of their last 12 months.
Sydney Trains has introduced initiatives including an adjusted timetable from October 2024, a new intercity fleet, and a train repair plan to improve reliability. The poor performance coincides with the state government's announcement of 950 job cuts at Transport for NSW, which are not believed to affect frontline roles.
