RAILWAY TRACK MAINTENANCE
The Hon. M. R. EGAN: On 28 May the Hon. J. F. Ryan asked me a question without notice relating to railway track maintenance. The Minister for Transport has provided the following response:
The Railway Services Authority - RSA - is currently restructuring its work force to account for adjustments made in the scope of work available to it. Changes in scope from year to year are common in railway infrastructure maintenance in
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other industries and affect the RSA and similar asset maintenance and construction companies. All contracting businesses, such as the RSA, face the issue of down time for their staff. This is managed in a range of ways, including leave, additional work and skills development. Private sector construction companies usually put staff off in these circumstances. However, the RSA has always taken steps to find additional work as a matter of priority.
In the case of staff employed at the Clyde Depot, the RSA is taking steps to ensure that staff not currently taking annual leave are being usefully employed and assist with an infrastructure stocktake or the Government’s graffiti clean-up initiative. Track possessions are required for the operation of the RSA’s larger and more expensive track machines. These possessions usually take place on the weekend or out of peak hours to reduce inconvenience to commuters. Therefore, maintenance of these machines occurs during weekends.