NSW on track to ban loud noise from commuter carriages

NEARLY everyone thinks silence is golden when it comes to commuting by train.

Quiet carriages will become a permanent feature of intercity trains on the Newcastle and Central Coast lines after almost 90 per cent of rail users backed the move.

They had been part of a threemonth trial that banned commuters travelling in quiet carriages from loud talking, playing loud music and using mobile phones.

The measure, designed to make rail travel more pleasant, was approved by NSW Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday.

‘‘Nearly 90 per cent of respondents to a Transport for NSW survey on the quiet carriages trial said travelling in quiet carriages had improved their overall travel experience,’’ she said in a statement. ‘‘In a further vote of support for the initiative, 98 per cent of quiet carriage customers surveyed indicated they intended to continue using quiet carriages in the future.’’

She also announced quiet carriages would be trialled for three months on all intercity trains on the South Coast Line between Kiama and Central and the Blue Mountains Line between Lithgow and Central from June 1.

The first and last carriages of all six and eight-carriage trains and the last carriage of four-carriage trains on the lines will be designated quiet carriages.

Commuters travelling between Newcastle, Gosford and Sydney were the first to trial the move.