The future of Newcastle’s rail line has finally been decided with the State Government announcing it will cut the line at Wickham.
The State Planning Minister Brad Hazzard is in Newcastle this morning detailing plans to cut the line and build a transport interchange at Wickham.
“We are asking for the public to have their say to actually get involved and let us know what you think about how Newcastle should now grow, evolve and hopefully really see some excitement happening in Newcastle in the next few years.” said Mr Hazzard.
“What we propose to do is to ensure that Berlin Wall comes down and the heart of Syd..heart of Newcastle, joins with the wonderful Harbour frontage.”
The $120 million project will also replace the trains with bus services and create eight new links to connect the inner city to the waterfront.
The rail corridor is set to remain as a public space.
Rail is the most efficient means for moving large groups with least disruption.
Rail exists from most areas to Newcastle beaches.
Rail track is splitting apart more than just real estate.
Solution:
Lift the track clear of roadways, do this by incorporating rail track to first floor level, build groundfloor car parking below track.
Have trains end journey into very large Mall entrances that extend either side of existing track, build residential flats above Mall that stays open 24/7.
There are solutions to exhausting the diesel fumes if required.
INCORPORATE RAIL INTO INHABITANT STRUCTURES WAS THE MONORAIL PROMISE, WHY NOT EXISTING RAIL?
This is the way for future integration, not moving living and transport apart bu bringing it together.
Newcastle has the opportunity to lead the way here.
The private infrastructure companies are lining up to do similar to this.
The new trains are quiet enough for this to be feasible.
Like others I am surprised its either rip up the track or do nothing for the future.
Newcastle is a much loved City in need of love, not black or white ultimatums.
A STUPID DECISION…..EVERYBODY HAS FORGOTTEN PORT STEPHENS…..and our Stockton Ferry link to the railway…..
Good riddance to heavy rail – noise, vibration, diesel fume pollution (yes – SOME trains are electric) and the most stupid thing of all – the requirement to blast air horns at every level crossing. Geez if you cant see the train or gates and lights and/or hear the train or electronic bells then blasting the horn ain’t gonna save you.
I live near a crossing and air horns at all hours of the night makes trains a bad neigbour.
$120 m would be better spent on an staffed and updated eye clinic at john hunter.
When a state is broke it is required to prioritise its expendditure. There are many things that are more important than cutting the rail line. Plus if it is to be cut so as to provide a benefit it needs to occur at Broadmeadow not Wickham.
Cutting the Rail at Wickham is a poorly designed and thought out solution to a problem that does not exist. It will not improve Newcastle any sooner.
spending money to remove existing infrastructure is a bad move.even with the rail removed traffic will not improve,in fact it is bound to get worse as the roads are clogged by the extra buses that will be required The people who are going to live in the city as a result of providing more accomodation will need direct transport as well as the new courthouse(which will have very little parking).
PLEASE RECONSIDER
A long-overdue and better solution than leaving the heavy rail line in place (which is akin to flying jumbo jets to Sydney from Pelican). Unfortunately, plan doesn’t go far enough for Region’s long-term future. Major inter-State & intra-State transport interchange (train, coach, local bus, taxi & light rail) should be at Woodside Junction (deleting level crossing problems at Clyde St and Hamilton) with retention of current rail corridor for public transport (including bicycles and future light rail) into Newcastle east end. Woodside Junction offers easy links to the south, west and north including Williamtown and Port Stephens.
Apart from the young people who travel from Waratah, Beresfield, Maitland to Newcastle and Nobbys Beaches, most train travellers use Broadmeadow and Cardiff Stations.
City Bus terminals co-located with major transport interchanges at BOTH Glendale and Woodside Junction (geographical centres) makes more sense than having it at the end of the Newcastle City peninsula!
Most cities spend billions to establish rail lines, and Newcastle is giving it away. The current scenario is a set up. Go down to Hannell st. The traffic lights at the gates, Hunter St and Foreshore Drive are not synchronised. I may even suggest they are programmed to cause issues. Why are these lights not set up correctly. For you younger folks there was always an overpass bridge planned for the Crossing at Hannell Street . Yet when the time came to connect Stewart Avenue to Hannell Street – because its only Newcastle the NSW Gov’t passed a special bill to allow teh Level Crossing to be built – which was against its own legislation. WHY ?
Level crossing are being replaced teh length of the Hunter Valley. BUT not in Newcastle.
Lets simply drop the rail 4 metres, and cover it. Have new modern Stations, and the Harbour acces is there.
Don’t argue about the cost. It will be less than the Sydney Harbour Tunnel and less than the New Rail line to the Sydney airport
Those who support the rail decision have probably never travelled by train on a regular basis. There is nothing more aggravating than having to get off a train and then onto a bus to continue your journey, particularly if you haveluggage or are elderly and use as walking stick or walker and for anyone in a wheel chair it is impossible. People travelling from the Hunter to enjoy Newcastle beaches are most inconvenienced, can you imagine young people with surfboards trying to crowd onto a bus ? The University is moving into Newcastle, many University students rely on public transport.For tourists and backpackers travelling from Sydney etc all our main Hotels/Motels and Backpackers accomodation are in the East End of Newcastle. I shudder to think of the extra road traffic from Wickham to the Top End of Town,
I disagree with the removal of the rail line. All our top Motels and Backpackers accom. are in the East End of Newastle near the beaches. There is nothing worse than having to change from one form of transport to another. The people of Maitland and the Hunter who travel down to enjoy our beaches will not be happy having to board a bus , particularly with surfboards etc etc I hate to think of anyone in a wheelchair or the very elderly ..a very poor decision by people who very rarely travel on public transport.
What a shame that Newcastle media doesn’t seem to have any investigative journalists who would pride themselves on investigating both sides of the story.
This business peoples’ plan is a wish list for speculaters without any technical substance. No cost/benifit analisys – no support of any councils in the HUnter or Central Coast, no community support. All a fantasy charade of greed. No case to demonstrate that their proposal is the most benificial way to spend enormous amounts of taxpayers’ money. How could our elected politicians be so inept?
There are two furphys being circulated by those that support this monumental blunder that need to be challenged.
The first is that the removal of the rail line will allow ready access to the harbour by pedestrian traffic. The Becton ghettos and other development going ahead on the harbour side of the tracks makes this proposition laughable. Unless these people can leap tall buildings in a single bound or walk through walls then in many cases they would be charged with trespass as access points around these structures are in some cases hundreds of metres apart.
The second point is about groups such as ‘Save our Rail’ not accepting the umpire’s decision. There have been numerous enquiries and investigations over the past two decades by both ALP and Tory governments. All of these have come down on the side of retaining the rail. But the Developer lobby and the big-end of town were never satisfied with this result and have embarked on an ongoing campaign to get rid of the rail service. So it can be quite readily observed who are the groups that cannot abide by the expert opinion that informed the umpire.
As for the joke about retaining the land in public hands; just look at the site of the former Royal Newcastle Hospital. The rail corridor will be worth hundreds of millions of dollars in years to come. Can anybody of sound mind actually believe that some grubby government in years to come (aided and abetted by the developer lobby) will not try to realise the dollar value of that land? Just observe the bargain basement sale of government owned assets at the present time.
Good day to you guys ! I have recently written an article , I may even call it a research about quite corresponding matter . There is not much relevant data on that, but I`ve managed to get some over there .