THE state government has rejected community protests and will implement huge service cuts to Kogarah and Rockdale railway stations. Under a new timetable that is due to become operational on October 20, the number of peak services will be halved and express trains eliminated. Cronulla Line commuters will get more services and faster trips under the new timetable, however, there will be reduced services at some other stations on the Illawarra Line, including the loss of two morning peak services from Engadine and Jannali. WINNERS AND LOSERS Number of weekday City-bound services between 6am-9am.                      OLD   NEW Caringbah     15       17 Engadine       11         9 Sutherland    32       31 Jannali          20      18 Mortdale       21       17 Allawah         11        17 Kogarah        32       17 Rockdale       31       17 Arncliffe        11        17 "All stations" trains will run between Hurstville and the city every 10 minutes. This will enable one track to be set aside for more frequent and faster trains travelling to and from Sutherland Shire and the Illawarra. Hurstville station will become a far busier interchange, with an extra 154 services a week. Stations between Allawah and Arncliffe will also get more peak-period services, with a train to the city every 10 minutes. All Illawarra Line services will stop at Wolli Creek station. On the Airport-East Hills Line, Beverly Hills and Kingsgrove stations will receive fewer trains and lose express services. Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said Kogarah and Rockdale customers would "no longer have to force their way on to full trains from Cronulla that arrive at inconsistent times". "It also means customers who currently drive to Kogarah from the smaller stations between Rockdale and the city will no longer need to, again reducing crowding at Kogarah," she said. "At the moment in the peak, we have a combination of trains that are packed to the brim and trains which are only three-quarters full, which is a ridiculous situation." Ms Berejiklian said the timetable released this week was final  and there would be no changes. ‘‘It doesn’t make sense,’’ said retiree John Raggett, who was waiting for a train to Engadine on Tuesday afternoon. ‘‘This station is always so busy in the mornings, with the people going to the hospital, the schoolkids and TAFE [students].’’ Printed copies of the timetable will be distributed at stations. It is also available at http://www.sydneytrains.info or by downloading the New Times app. Will you be better or worse off? See related story:  http://www.theleader.com.au/story/1785934/timetable-shake-ups-for-southern-sydney-trains/?cs=1255
