Thousands to march for Gaza

The only passenger train link between Sydney’s CBD and the north shore today suffered several cancellations in both directions shortly after 9am today.

Services on the T1 North Shore line have since recovered, but it will be put under major pressure today when protesters arrive for the northbound march across the bridge from Wynyard, as well as later when they return home from North Sydney once it ends.

Last night the T1 north shore line was put out of action for a number of hours after urgent overhead wiring repairs were required between Wynyard and Milsons Point.

Services on the M1 metro rail line between Sydenham and the city’s north west via the CBD are not operating today due to essential trackwork planned well before the protest march was announced.

However, trackwork on the T4 eastern suburbs line means trains that would usually run to Bondi Junction will be diverted to North Sydney, resulting in 14 trains an hour over the harbour bridge southbound when combined with T1 services. Some 10 services an hour will operate northbound.

In simple terms, it means there will be a train every four to six minutes leaving North Sydney station in each direction.

Transport for NSW operations management executive director Craig Moran said people would be switching from buses at North Sydney and St Leonards to rail services, which would make the “trains very busy” today.

“It would have been great if we could have the metro operating but unfortunately that’s not the situation today,” he said. “We will be managing people into the station, particularly North Sydney.”

Milsons Point station will be closed this afternoon, and people will be diverted to North Sydney station for their journeys home.

Transport officials are also concerned that traffic is likely to bank up for kilometres at both ends of the Harbour Tunnel today, which will be the only road link across the harbour between the CBD and north shore open to motorists during the protest.