Demand for Trams Drives Inner West Service Improvements

“We are always looking at ways to improve public transport, and we know that service frequency in particular is a big factor in usage,” she said.

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“If they don’t have to wait so long at home, they are more likely to choose public transportation.”

Service on the Inner West Line was suspended for several months afterwards. a crack was found The government has yet to resolve a long-running contract dispute with Spanish manufacturer CAF over cracks in the trams, but the cracks have since been repaired and operations resumed.

Matthew Hounsell, a researcher at the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Technology, said a major disruption to service caused by cracks in the trams dampened demand in the immediate aftermath.

But he said there has been a significant increase in ridership over the past few months and that the Inner West Light Rail is “still very popular” on weekends.

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“More than 20,000 people are on the move every day,” he said. “Good frequency is a big driver of demand for the Inner West Light Rail. will be able to carry out and attract passengers.”

Last December, the line’s weekday peak service was extended to eight-minute intervals.

Lewisham resident Mary Osborne, a regular light rail user, said she had seen a significant increase in the number of people riding the trams since the pandemic hit two years ago. “It’s so much better than the train, it’s just more airy,” she said.

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