From the University’s who da thunk it department, the Newcastle Herald reports on the traffic and parking chaos to come from the University of Newcastle’s CBD campus. The article omits to mention that Civic Station sits opposite the new campus. A PhD is not required to work out that by keeping the existing rail to ...

The Maitland Mercury reports that the people of Maitland will finally have their voices heard after a parliamentary committee to ­investigate planning decisions in Newcastle, including the rail cut, was established. … “From what the people of Maitland have told me and my colleagues is that no one wants to catch the train almost to Newcastle.” ...

The decision to terminate the Newcastle heavy rail line at Wickham will be examined by the planning inquiry committee, reports the Newcastle Herald. A COMMITTEE set up to inquire into contentious Hunter planning decisions, including the truncation of Newcastle’s heavy rail, could potentially call former MPs Andrew Cornwell and Tim Owen as well as ministers ...

As reported in the Maitland Mercury: The NSW Upper House has supported a motion to establish a parliamentary inquiry into a number of contentious planning decisions in Newcastle. This includes the T4 coal loader and the truncation of the Newcastle rail line. Greens MP David Shoebridge’s motion to establish a select committee was passed on ...

This report in the Maitland Mercury includes an online poll. Vote YES in support of reversing the rail cut decision. A parliamentary committee will investigate planning decisions in Newcastle, including the rail cut, if Greens MLC David Shoebridge gets his way. He believes he will have a majority when he puts a motion to Parliament ...

Proposals won’t benefit our city (via letter to the Newcastle Herald): … And I can’t see how removing the rail line will ‘‘marry Honeysuckle to Hunter Street’’. Planning Minister Pru Goward has revealed plans for another row of buildings on the rail corridor. No transport expert I know of has endorsed removing the rail. Is ...

A parliamentary inquiry into contentious Hunter planning decisions, including the truncation of Newcastle’s heavy rail, looks set to go ahead with the crossbench indicating it will provide the key support needed to set it up, reports the Newcastle Herald. The Christian Democrats and the Shooters and Fishers MPs, who share the balance of power in ...

A Bellbird man has urged the Coalition state government to delay the Newcastle rail line closure until after the March election, reports the Maitland Mercury: … “This current plan to remove the heavy rail into Newcastle beggars belief,” he said. “This facility services the people of not only Newcastle but the entire Hunter Valley and ...

Don’t dismantle public transport (via letter to the Newcastle Herald): ASIO  tells us that Australia’s terror alert should be raised from medium to high, indicating an attack is likely rather than possible. But our NSW Minister for Transport is racing to destroy the core public transport system of a highly strategic Australian city before anyone ...

People travelling from Maitland, Dungog and the upper reaches of the Hunter had to contend with scheduled track work on the Newcastle line last weekend, as reported in the Maitland Mercury: Commuters from the greater Hunter have had a taste of ­public transport difficulties ahead of the planned closure of Newcastle rail line. People travelling ...

Rail enhances visitors’ stay (via letter to the Newcastle Herald): RECENTLY we spent time with visitors to Newcastle from Tasmania, who came for our jazz festival. … They can’t believe that the government is shutting down the train into our city. … We showed him where the new university campus, for 4000 students, and the ...

As reported in the Maitland Mercury, cutting Newcastle rail line will disadvantage elderly and young people who live in regional parts of the Hunter. Joan Dawson, a member of Save Our Rail, the organisation working to have the rail decision overturned, said the rail cut would affect the people who relied on public transport most. ...

AROUND 400 supporters converged on Civic Park today for the ‘Hunter Deserves Better’ Rally.  Coverage at the Newcastle Herald: The rally was organised to draw attention to the various community groups concerned with what they feel is a lack of ‘sensible and transparent planning’ for the Hunter region by the NSW Government. … “The strength of ...

The Maitland Mercury and has been providing extensive coverage of the shameful Newcastle Rail truncation as part of its Get On Board: help us #SaveHunterRail grass roots community campaign. A newspaper’s job is to advocate for its readers when they need it most. The Singleton Argus, The Scone Advocate, Cessnock Advertiser, Muswellbrook Chronicle and Dungog ...

The Maitland Mercury continues its coverage of the Newcastle Rail truncation: The Hunter should take a leaf out of London’s book when it comes to public transport. That’s what a former Hunter resident living in the United Kingdom thinks. Paul Newman has been following the public debate on the plan to remove Newcastle rail line. ...