NEW SYDNEY TRAINS TEAM TO COMBAT CROWDING

Thousands of passengers are set to benefit from a new Customer Management Team to help keep people safe on the Sydney Trains network.
 
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance today joined Transport Secretary Rodd Staples and Sydney Trains Chief Customer Officer Suzanne Holden at the new Rail Operations Centre to launch the latest initiative as part of the NSW Government’s COVIDSafe Transport Plan.
 
“This dedicated team of 80 people will be the ‘eyes and ears’ of the Sydney Trains network. Every day teams will monitor 11,000 CCTV cameras and utilise new real time app technology to monitor patronage numbers and help facilitate physical distancing across the rail network,” Mr Constance said.
 
“We are trying to save lives. We are trying to avoid an outbreak, the likes of which we have seen overseas where social distancing was not maintained on large public transport systems.”
 
Transport Secretary Rodd Staples said this is the latest in a raft of measures.
 
“Last week we launched the ‘No Dot, No Spot’ campaign to help customers physically distance and there has been an extra 132,000 hours of cleaning since March, with regular deep cleans and hand sanitiser units being rolled at 163 staffed stations,” Mr Staples said.
 
“Our customers trust us to keep them safe, and that’s something we do not take lightly,” Ms Holden said.
 
“I could not be more proud to lead a team of people who have spent long hours innovating and finding solutions to transport problems we have never experienced in our lifetimes. New features we have created for loading data technology and this new pilot program is setting the standard for the rest of the country.”