Southeast Qld faces Friday rail woes

Southeast Queenslanders will be subjected to more train cancellations on Friday as Queensland Rail deals with the continuing staff shortage fiasco.

Passengers board a Queensland Rail (QR) train in Brisbane

More than 100 rail services will be cut across the southeast Queensland network on Friday. (AAP)

More than 100 rail services will be cut across the southeast Queensland network on Friday as the ongoing staffing dramas continue to cause commuter headaches.

Embattled Transport Minsiter Stirling Hinchliffe warned of the changes on Thursday afternoon, saying an interim timetable recommended by former Queensland Rail (QR) chief executive Helen Gluer, who resigned last week, was unreliable.

But QR would announce an improved interim timetable on Friday when 113 services will be cut, he said.

"Tomorrow's cancellations rip the bandaid off the running sore that is an interim timetable that is not reliable enough for commuters," Mr Hinchliffe said.

"Commuters don't just want regular services, they want consistent services and a timetable they can rely upon."

The new timetable would take effect from Monday, he added.

Friday's commuter woes would be limited to off-peak times "where possible" and for those who had to wait more than 30 minutes, alternative transport would be offered.

The staff shortages caused commuter chaos last month with mass service cancellations and led to the resignations of Ms Gluer and QR board chairman Michael Klug.

LNP MP Tarnya Smith asked Premier Annastacia Palaszcuk why Mr Hinchliffe had not been sacked over the same problems.

"The CEO of QR has responsibility for the operational aspects of the train network in southeast Queensland," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"They failed to act on reports that were not given to the government."

Senior QR bosses were warned of the looming problems as early as January.

A frank email in March from a public transport advocate also warned of the brewing problems, but Mr Hinchliffe has claimed he was "misled" about the issues.


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Source: AAP



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