Train customers are being advised that, due to delays caused by union protected industrial action over the Easter long weekend, the scheduled track closures in place from 3 - 26 April will now need to be extended until 30 April.
Multiple days of work were lost by union protected industrial action over the Easter long weekend, so the extension of these track closures is now needed to allow critical works on multiple major rail projects to be completed.
Major works were scheduled to begin on Good Friday 3 April, however they could not get underway until Easter Monday 6 April, after the Fair Work Commission issued orders on Easter Sunday 5 April requiring protected industrial action to be lifted so that works could begin as soon as possible.
The amended closures dates are:
• Caboolture to Gympie North - will now continue for one extra day, reopening on 13 April.
• Bowen Hills to Eagle Junction and Northgate - will now continue for four extra days, reopening on 16 April.
• Boggo Road to Banoon - will now continue for four extra days, reopening on 1 May.
Queensland Rail Chief Executive Officer Kat Stapleton said rail replacement buses will continue to operate during the extended days of the closure to keep people moving.
"As a result of the need to deliver the works and the delay from protected industrial action over the Easter long weekend, the track closure has been extended to minimise future impacts on customers," Ms Stapleton said.
"We understand that our customers are frustrated by these delays and we share that frustration.
"Rail replacement buses will continue to operate as frequently as possible into the extended closure, as well as regular bus services, to help customers complete their journeys.
"Due to the extension of the closure, rail replacement buses will need to be allocated across multiple closure areas, so some services may run at a reduced frequency.
"Updated information about available rail replacement bus services will be updated in the Translink journey planner in the coming days and customers are urged to allow additional travel time if they are travelling on the network.
Ms Stapleton said negotiations to reach new enterprise agreements with the unions are ongoing.
"We have had some very productive discussions with the unions over the last few days," she said.
"We hope that we will be able to reach a new, fair deal in the coming weeks that allows us to focus on delivery of quality rail services for passengers and freight customers."
These works are all part of building a better rail network for Queensland and the track closures will allow work to be undertaken safely and efficiently on the following projects:
• Cross River Rail supporting works
• Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade Stage 1
• Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail
• Loganlea Station Relocation
• Queensland Train Manufacturing Program
• European Train Control System (ETCS)
• General track maintenance
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