Vulnerable train passengers will be left without vital assistance at stations under a “reckless” proposal by Queensland Rail, a peak transport union has warned.
Under Queensland Rail’s new station customer service model, selected train stations across south-east Queensland will no longer be staffed after 1pm on weekdays and over weekends from early May.
Workers affected by the proposal include porters, station assistants and station masters.
The Rail, Tram and Bus Union’s (RTBU) Queensland branch described the decision as “reckless” and said it will put some of the community’s most vulnerable members at risk.
“Unstaffed stations means no help for people with disabilities, no protection for students and no safety net for anyone who needs assistance,” branch secretary Peter Allen said.
“People who rely on staff for ramp access and navigation will effectively be locked out of the network on afternoons and weekends, while students and young people travelling after school will have no staff to turn to if something goes wrong.”
Queensland Rail said when a station is not staffed, guards onboard trains provide boarding and disembarking assistance, which will continue after May.
It said security presence at stations will also be increased when the changes come into effect, with more authorised officers employed.
In response to the new operating model, the RTBU wrote to Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg this week and launched a public campaign urging the state government to intervene and implement minimum station staffing.
“Unstaffed stations create environments where passengers feel vulnerable, particularly at night or in quieter periods,” the letter said.
“Without staff present, incidents of antisocial behaviour, harassment and crime are harder to prevent and respond to. Vulnerable passengers and school students will have no one to turn to for immediate help.
“School students, especially teenage girls, are disproportionately targeted for harassment on public transport. Staffed stations act as a visible deterrent and provide immediate recourse.
“Reducing service by removing staff is a disregard of the core obligation of public transport, which is to serve the entire community, not just peak-hour commuters.”
Queensland Rail head of south-east Queensland Neil Backer said the revised model “was developed to align station staff with customer demand and operational requirements, increase security presence, improve efficiency, and support job security within the workforce”.
“In 2024, Queensland Rail commenced consultation with employees and unions on a new station customer service operating model,” Backer said.
“In February 2026, the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) and The Services Union (TSU) withdrew their applications with the Fair Work Commission, after coming to a mutual agreement with Queensland Rail in relation to the new operating model.”
Queensland Rail said workers’ jobs are secure, and it intends to work with employees on the implementation of the new model.
