Whistleblower Alleges Cost Concerns Halted Sydney Light Rail Safety Upgrade Before Second Fatality
A former Transdev employee has come forward with explosive claims that Sydney's light rail operator investigated and successfully trialed safety sensor technology following a fatal incident in 2023, only to cancel the project due to cost concerns before a second pedestrian death occurred in 2025. The whistleblower, who requested anonymity, alleges that the decision to shelve the "coupling project" was made despite the technology being proven effective, with cost-sharing discussions with Transport for NSW failing.
The Tragic Incidents That Sparked the Safety Investigation
In May 2023, 17-year-old Kyra Loreto Dulguime died after becoming trapped underneath a moving tram while attempting to cross between two coupled carriages in Sydney's central business district. This tragic event prompted Transdev to initiate what the whistleblower calls the "coupling project," which involved exploring sensor technology to detect people entering the dangerous area between joined trams.
Then in June 2025, a second fatality occurred when German-born Osmaro Orellana became trapped under a tram at a Surry Hills light rail stop. The New South Wales coroner's court has identified Orellana, and a joint inquest into both deaths is expected, though hearing dates remain unset.
The Sensor Technology Trial and Its Alleged Cancellation
According to the whistleblower's detailed account, Transdev sent engineers to Germany to meet with technology manufacturer Bosch to discuss adapting automotive reverse sensor systems for use on Sydney's light rail network. Bosch Australia was subsequently engaged, and concept trials conducted in Australia reportedly demonstrated the technology worked effectively.
The former employee claims the estimated cost to produce an initial system for trial on one tram was approximately $500,000, with plans to eventually roll out the working prototype across the remaining 60 single units that are coupled together to form 30 concertina trams on Sydney's L2 and L3 routes.
"There's never been one technical or engineering hiccup," the whistleblower stated. "It's a no-brainer; it is going to work."
Transdev's Firm Denial and Ongoing Safety Assessments
Transdev has issued a strong rebuttal to the whistleblower's allegations, with a company spokesperson stating: "Transdev rejects any assertion that the assessment of sensor technology has at any point been 'shelved' or put on hold."
The company acknowledges it is "now" trialing sensors in the coupling area of light rail vehicles but emphasizes that this technology has not, to their knowledge, been retrofitted and rolled out on any other light rail network worldwide. Transdev maintains that important questions about feasibility and integration with other complex safety systems need thorough testing.
While not explicitly denying cost was a consideration, Transdev asserts that all safety decisions are made in accordance with national rail safety laws and in "close liaison" with Transport for NSW and the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR).
Regulatory Involvement and the Whistleblower's Motivation
A briefing note seen by journalists confirms that ONRSR was receiving updates on the coupling project by March 2024. The whistleblower alleges that Transdev and Altrac—the private consortium managing Sydney's light rail on behalf of the government—approached Transport for NSW to discuss cost sharing after deciding they did not want to bear the full expense of implementing the technology across the entire fleet.
When Transport for NSW declined to share costs, the whistleblower claims Transdev and Altrac assembled a case to convince the national regulator that expenses outweighed safety benefits—an argument they say both Transport for NSW and ONRSR ultimately accepted.
"That was really painful for all of us involved," the former Transdev employee revealed. "We were very vocal at the time, and I kind of feel even the senior management at Altrac and Transdev felt the same, that they felt the pressure of spending money outweighed this whole project."
Project Restart After Second Tragedy and Ongoing Concerns
The whistleblower claims the coupling project has been restarted following the second death in 2025, alleging that "ONRSR at the NSW level who had been party to the decision to shelve the project came under massive criticism from senior ONRSR who asked them to restart the project."
However, they express frustration about the timeline, noting: "It's still a way off, and that's the bugbear for all of us—that all of this could have been done already and we could have been saving lives already."
An ONRSR spokesperson told media that after the 2023 death, the regulator "was satisfied that a series of engineering controls implemented by the operator addressed SFAIRP [so far as is reasonably practicable] the risk to safety." Following the 2025 incident, ONRSR conducted a review of the operator's safety management system and remains in constant dialogue with Transdev as part of its monitoring responsibilities.
Additional Safety Measures and Internal Communications
Transdev states it has implemented several safety upgrades since the 2023 tragedy, including enhancements to CCTV systems, updated stop line markings, and improved warning signs. The company emphasizes that light rail remains "a safe and convenient mode of public transport" with 41 million annual trips on Sydney's network.
In June 2025, internal communications revealed that Transdev warned staff against discussing the two deaths among themselves, stating that "sharing content or discussing distressing details—whether through employee or unofficial channels—is disrespectful and potentially in breach of the code of conduct."
The whistleblower says they came forward because "we're always saying every day we do things safely, we do the best thing for the public," adding that they and colleagues regularly think about the man who died at Surry Hills. "It's awful," they concluded.
Transport for NSW maintains that safety has always been its "highest priority" and that after the 2025 death, the department "continued to engage with Transdev, ONRSR and other stakeholders in respect to safety improvements where they are assessed as being reasonably practicable and effective."
NSW Transport Minister John Graham has declined to comment on the allegations while investigations continue.
