Metro Trains cancelled 89 train services across Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday morning on the Cranbourne, Pakenham, and Sunbury lines following industrial action by maintenance workers at Downer Group’s Pakenham East depot since July 24, 2026.
Industrial Action Delays Maintenance of HCMT Fleet
The disruption stems from union-led strikes slowing maintenance on Victoria’s High Capacity Metro Trains (HCMTs). The delay in servicing has reduced train availability, limiting Metro Trains’ ability to operate the full timetable through the $15 billion Metro Tunnel project.
An insider revealed that on Thursday only 50 out of a 70-train HCMT fleet were operational, resulting in 20 service cancellations that day. Maintenance backlog clearance
is expected to take weeks even if the dispute ends promptly, due to the time-intensive nature of HCMT servicing.
Union Membership, Strike Schedule, and Demands
About 110 workers represented by the Electrical Trades Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union are engaged in half-day strikes and full-day strikes on Mondays. They demand equal pay and conditions aligning with those of Metro Trains, V/Line, and Yarra Trams employees, according to ETU organiser John Islip.
Downer Group, contracted by the Victoria state government for HCMT maintenance, confirmed the ongoing industrial action is tied to enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations and said it continues to engage constructively with union representatives.
Official Statements on Service Cancellations and Negotiations
Metro Trains executives warned, “We may not have enough HCMTs to run the full timetable on the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.” They added, “We may require partial line suspensions if this external industrial action continues,” noting this would be a last resort to serve the greatest number of passengers.
A Metro Trains spokesperson confirmed consideration of partial line suspensions with bus services replacing terminated train segments, and urged passengers to plan journeys ahead. The Victoria state government supports workers’ rights to protected industrial action and encourages good faith bargaining to resolve the dispute.
Passenger Impact and Service Adjustments
Passengers on the Cranbourne, Pakenham, and
Sunbury lines should expect fewer train services with the potential for partial suspensions, where trains terminate before the line’s end. Bus services will supplement these truncated routes to maintain connectivity.
Metro Trains continues collaboration with Downer and government agencies to reduce disruption during this period of industrial action.
Background on Metro Tunnel Operations and Regional Industrial Disputes
The Metro Tunnel opened on November 30, 2025, with a limited timetable, reaching full operation in February 2026. It links the Cranbourne, Pakenham, and Sunbury lines and supports about 1,200 weekly train services.
This industrial dispute at Downer’s depot is one among several affecting Victorian public services in 2026. Earlier in August,
the Labor government signed a $5.4 billion pay deal increasing teacher wages by 28.3% over four years following multiple strikes. Similar negotiations have also taken place with healthcare workers who staged statewide strikes.
