Public transport use in NSW has seen significant growth, according to new statistics.
Latest figures from Transport NSW show public transport use across the state has nearly returned to pre-Covid levels with more than 629 million ticketed trips across the network in the last financial year – an almost 20% increase compared to 2022/23.
That figure is nearing the 735 million trips taken during 2018/19.
The growth in public transport use in part reflects the success of the Sydney Metro which commenced in August. Around 215,000 people travel on the Metro line daily. More than 12 million trips were taken during the service’s first ten weeks. “Patronage figures for the new city Metro show Metromania isn’t slowing down,” NSW minister for transport Jo Haylen said.
Public transport use is particularly popular during the weekends – up 17% compared to last year. Furthermore, the number of trips via ferries and light rail have surpassed pre-Covid rates said Haylen. “People are voting with their feet and are coming back to public transport, with ridership on light rail and ferries now surpassing pre-Covid levels on weekends.”
While city services are being upgraded and new lines opened, rural rail is being largely ignored. You can access the Internet during your fifteen minute ride on a metro, but there’s precious little mobile phone coverage on a three hour trip on the South Coast line.
People from the NSW South Coast would contribute to this growth if the commuters were given access to a rail line that was given the funding and commitment deserved to upgrade and electrify the line between Kiama and Bomaderry. NSW Trains is not only for Newcastle, Sydney & Wollongong. Regional Trains deserve the same level of public transport access. Our people will voting with our feet too.