Rogue train driver banned

First on 7: A rogue train driver has been banned for life after being clocked speeding through stations on the western line.

He went at twice the speed limit in some sections, and a 7News investigation has found he is not the only driver giving passengers a white knuckle ride.

The driver terrorised commuters all the way from Richmond to Central and back and he was caught speeding on 34 different stretches of track on one day.

The driver exceeded the limit by more than 20 kilometres an hour five times and one stage double the legal speed.

He went through a level crossing at Riverstone 21 km/h over the limit, at Parramatta he was 25 km/h over, then he sped through Lidcombe, Ashfield, and Summer Hill.

Sydney Trains Operations Director Tony Eid said: “His first detection was at Ashfield and when we began the investigation it turned out it was much greater than Ashfield and that situation is not tolerable.”

That driver was discplined but remains on the Sydney Trains payroll.

He is now only allowed to work as a train guard and Sydney Trains say that is a major demotion - and a $400-a-week paycut.

Remarkably, two weeks later, a second driver, between Doonside and Penrith, was so far over the speed limit the guard on the train and passengers feared disaster.

According to the guard the train almost derailed due to a sudden and strong jolting movement – that jolt, it turns out, was a set of point switches.

Regular Richmond line passenger Georgina Hayward claims speeding is common - and dangerous for those waiting on platforms.

She said: “They're just metres away aren't they? I worry about people who might be a bit older, a bit frailer.”

Eleven of the 12 drivers caught in the last 14 months have been allowed to resume their duties.