Big news! Today, we’ve returned our trains back into public hands.
Bringing a privatised service back into public hands is a remarkable achievement.
And it’ll benefit South Australians each and every day.
We were very clear when the former Marshall administration abandoned its pledge for no privatisations that, if elected, we would bring our train and tram services back into public ownership.
Today, we honour that promise, with trains back into public hands – where they belong.
Increased security and CCTV headline benefits for commuters as rail operations are returned to public control four years after they were sold off by the Marshall government – despite the former Liberal premier’s pledge that he didn’t have a privatisation agenda.
The return of train services to public hands today – with trams to follow later this year – realises a major Malinauskas Labor Government election commitment.
The State Government announced in April last year that it had reached agreements with the private rail operators to bring train and tram services back into public hands in line with Labor’s pledge – which was made before the private contracts were ever signed. Under these agreements, the State Government will not pay any break fees.
A trained and skilled workforce will deliver a smooth transition for customers.
A full complement of drivers, controllers, supervisors and shift managers accepted employment offers with the State Government well ahead of schedule in an emphatic vote of confidence to transfer rail operations.
Commuters can now have confidence that all revenue is re-invested into a safer and more reliable public transport system, rather than into company profits.
In a boost to security and compliance, the State Government is funding 31 additional Passenger Service Assistant roles to supplement the current on-board PSA presence on train services, particularly after 7pm.
Damningly, the Marshall government’s rail privatisation model included a reduction in the number of PSA roles on the network, from 93 to 63. This cost cutting was to be achieved by removing the requirement for PSAs on services after 7pm each night which would have impacted customer security and safety.
In a win for commuters, the Malinauskas Government is also improving amenities at railway stations across a cleaner, greener metropolitan rail network.
