Commuters are being warned of “chaos” on Sydney’s transport network as thousands of bus services are cancelled on Monday.
It is the latest in a long series of transport disruptions for the city after rail strikes became a regular feature of commuter travel in 2022.
Bus services in the inner west, inner north, northern beaches and eastern suburbs are due to be impacted by the disruption, though it is not yet known what services will be affected.
The Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) said the disruptions were due to the bus industry’s inability to retain drivers and recruit new drivers after the network was privatised.
“Commuters should brace for chaos at our bus stops from Monday as the NSW government axes thousands of trips in an attempt to deal with the fallout of its bus privatisation,” RTBU tram and bus division president Peter Grech said.
“We’re already seeing incredibly large queues at bus stops, but that will get much worse on Monday when services are axed, many people return to work and kids return to school.”
The union is asking commuters to show respect to drivers despite the frustrating delays.
“Bus drivers understand passengers’ frustration because we’re frustrated too,” Mr Grech said.
“It’s important to remember that it’s not the driver’s’ fault that our bus services are being so poorly managed.”
Transport for NSW said it is working with private operators to reinstate the services as soon as possible.
The Perrottet government remains locked in a long-running dispute with the transport union after more than a year of heated negotiations over enterprise agreements and the safety of a new train fleet.
Sydney commuters have faced regular service disruptions and cancellations as a result of industrial action on the rail network over the course of the last year.
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