More Indian Pacific rail service cuts
Posted
Great Southern Railway has extended a reduction in the frequency of its Indian Pacific service.
The company had already announced that a drop in tourism has prompted it to reduce services from two a week to one a week during December and January.
Now it says it is also going to halve the frequency of the Indian Pacific between April and August, because of the uncertain economic times.
Chief executive officer Tony Braxton-Smith says Great Southern is looking at a lower level of demand for next year and has had to take steps to remain viable.
"During that April to August period instead of running two smaller trains a week we will run one larger train per week, so we're actually going to have the same capacity available for sale if it sells but we will be in a position that if demand is less we'll still be able to be maintaining a healthy business," he said.
Broken Hill City Council administrator Ken Boyle says the council was not told of the planned changes.
"Council as far as I'm aware is not aware of this cut in services," he said.
"It's quite a disturbing announcement, particularly from the point of view of people like pensioners that need to travel to Adelaide for medical and other reasons - one trip a week will make that sort of trip very difficult."
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