Less peak hour trains stopping at Granville railway station
Following the recent report that showed a 100% decrease in city-bound express trains stopping at Granville during the weekday morning peak hour, a new analysis shows that the number of citybound trains stopping at the railway station during the same time period has decreased by up to 33% — and the decline of services for the PM peak hour trip from the city to Granville is even greater.
The NSW Government today introduced another rail timetable update for services in Sydney and across New South Wales, and an examination of rail timetables stretching from 2006 to today reveals a deliberate strategy by the managers of the rail timetable to reduced all types of peak hour services departing Granville.
Key points: Granville rail review
Comparing train services in 2006 to the new 2024 timetable:
* The number of city-bound rail services — express and slow services — in the AM peak hour 6am-9am have decreased by an average of 27%
* The number of rail services outbound services to Granville — express and slow services — in the PM peak hour 3pm-6pm have decreased by an average of 34%
Population boom: Census
The dramatic cancellation of peak hour rail services to Granville has occurred as the population increased 19% between 2011 and 2021, Census data reveals.
During the same period, the area next to the railway station — commonly referred to as North Granville — was rezoned to allow for several tall residential apartment blocks.
A Parramatta City Council submission in July 2015 made several references of the railway station servicing the 360 new dwellings. Even without the Census data, the reports prepared for the NSW planning department would have alerted the government of the increasing population size in Granville.
Number of citybound trains departing Granville 2006–2024
Number of trains arriving at Granville from the city 2006–2024
Slower rail services
When comparing the 2006 rail timetable to the new 2024 timetable, the travel times to the city from Granville are stark.
A passenger catching a train at 7:30am on a weekday in 2006 would have arrived at Central railway station at 7:59am. The train stopped 7 times during the 29 minute trip.
A passenger who wants to be at Central by 8am — under the new timetable — has to depart Granville at 7:18am, which is 12 minutes earlier than the time they departed in 2006.
A passenger catching a train at 7:29am on a weekday on the new timetable will arrive at Central railway station at 8:10am with the train stopping 11 times during the 41 minute trip. The travel app also suggests passengers could catch a train at 7:33am, changing at Strathfield arriving at 8:09am.
What they’re saying…
“I don’t know a single person from Granville who gets off the train at Macdonaldtown or Newtown” — Local state MP Julie Finn told the Daily Telegraph. “It’s just the trains that are not so bad will be as bad. It’s not going to get better…It drives me mad too.’’
“These changes do mean that train numbers along the inner west corridor will increase, so T2 trains will be making more stops at more stations” — Transport minister Jo Haylen’s spokesperson.
“There were promises made at numerous state elections that this would improve and it’s only getting worse” — Cumberland Council councillor Joseph Rahme speaking to the Daily Telegraph.
More Granville and Lidcombe rail data
Read about the changes being made to express train services at Granville and Lidcombe here.
I’d like to hear your views about the reduced peak hour services to Sydney’s CBD and other public transport issues, drop me a note on social media @BrendenWood — I’m on Facebook, Threads, Instagram and Twitter.
#SydneyTrains #Granville
