BRISBANE, Queensland, Nov. 2 -- The Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet issued text of the following statement:
Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Brent Mickelberg
* The South EastQueensland rail network will return to full timetable on Monday 16 November ahead of schedule.
* Reduced timetable the result of a maintenance backlog caused by months of union protected industrial action.
* Major lines will return to a roughly six-to-ten-minute service frequency on average during the weekday peak periods, and express services will be restored.
* It comes after agreement was reached across five of seven enterprise agreements, securing fair and reasonable wages and conditions for Queensland Rail employees.
* TheCrisafulli Government is getting Queenslanders home sooner and safer.
Queensland Rail will return its full South East Queensland weekday timetable across all rail lines on Monday 16 November, ahead of schedule.
The reduced rail timetable was introduced in May due to a maintenance backlog caused by union-protected industrial action, with Queensland Rail receiving close to 2,500 notices of protected industrial action during this time.
Major lines will return to a roughly six-to-ten-minute service frequency on average during the weekday peak periods, and express services will be restored.
Queensland Rail has been progressively adding services to the timetable over recent months as the maintenance backlog was addressed and has been operating at 91 per cent of the timetable since earlier this month.
The restored timetable will be updated in Journey Planner by Wednesday, and customers are encouraged to check online for the latest travel information.
It comes after agreement was reached across five of seven enterprise agreements, securing fair and reasonable wages and conditions for Queensland Rail employees.
There was not majority support amongst train controllers to adopt the new enterprise agreement. That process will now continue.
This is a matter for the union and their membership to work through.
Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg said the full timetable would mean more trains, more frequent services and greater reliability for Queenslanders who rely on the rail network.
"For the last seven months Queenslanders have been battling a reduced timetable due to union protected industrial activity," Minister Mickelberg said.
"The restoration of the full timetable - ahead of schedule - marks a significant milestone in Queensland Rail's recovery from maintenance backlogs caused by months of union protected industrial action.
"We did our bit, we negotiated in good faith and we struck a deal.
"I want to thank commuters for their patience, and I want to thank those workers who have helped us restore a full timetable ahead of schedule."
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT: Brendan Morris, 0428 962 414
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
