Save Our Rail NSW Inc. ← Campaign to Retain and Improve Newcastle Rail

~ SOR Transport Plans / Proposals + Major Documents ~

Mar

9

2011

This post provides links to Save Our Rail’s major documents: Our proposal for Newcastle CBD integration – December 2008 Our critique of GPT’s proposal – January 2009 Our response to HDC’s report – July 2009 Our Western Transport Initiative (WesTrans) Proposal – November 2010

Dismissal of SOR’s application by High Court of Australia – Media Release 16/6/2017

Jun

16

2017

Save Our Rail NSW Incorporated has always acted for public benefit in campaigning to preserve NSW transport infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on the Newcastle Rail Line which had provided efficient direct services to historic Newcastle Station until the abrupt closure of that rail service in December 2014. This occurred despite a successful SOR Supreme ...

The light rail proposal for Newcastle has eerie similarities to Sydney’s monorail

Aug

17

2016

Newcastle-based planner and urban designer Stacey Brodbeck writes in her Newcastle Herald opinion piece: … Sometimes it doesn’t matter how many try and point out the shortcomings of a shiny government project – those that hold the power usually get their way. Yet sometimes time reveals the truth – and those that choose to ignore a tsunami ...

Save Our Rail submission to Upper House Inquiry into Crown Land

Jul

31

2016

Read our submission to the NSW Upper House Inquiry Into Crown Land (PDF file here). Save Our Rail recommends that rather than changes which allow greater flexibility and loss of public amenity the laws pertaining to the Crown Lands Act 1989 need to be tightened and more strictly adhered to. There seems to be a ...

Keep Rail on the Corridor (KROC) submission to Upper House Inquiry into Crown Land

Jul

31

2016

Keep Rail on the Corridor (KROC) is an alliance of Hunter Valley and Newcastle Community Groups and their submission the NSW Upper House Inquiry into Crown Land is complementary to the Save Our Rail submission. Read the KROC submission at the NSW Upper House Inquiry website. Keep Rail On the Corridor (KROC) supports improved legislation, ...

Save Our Rail submission on Newcastle Light Rail REF

Jun

4

2016

A summary of SOR’s submission to the Newcastle Light Rail REF is given below. The full SOR submission can be found here (PDF document). The Newcastle Herald is maintaining a list of submission on its website. Transport needs were identified by Save Our Rail at workshops in 5 locations prior to writing major submissions on ...

Newcastle light rail submissions to Baird government

Jun

3

2016

Read some of the submissions made to the light rail project at the Newcastle Herald.

Hunter Street business say light rail parking loss will kill their businesses

May

17

2016

HUNTER Street retailers were considering a class action against the state government if the proposed Hunter Street light rail damaged their businesses, government representatives were told at a meeting in Newcastle on Monday, as reported in the Newcastle Herald. More than 30 business owners or their representatives crowded into a room at Passmores’ Business and ...

Proposed light rail “barely twice walking speed”

May

10

2016

RUNNING light rail down Hunter Street would “drive a stake through the heart of Newcastle”, an alliance of community groups including Save Our Rail has heard, reports the Newcastle Herald. More than 300 people packed Newcastle Leagues Club on Monday night as opponents to the state government’s light rail plan vowed to “embarrass” Premier Mike Baird in ...

Newcastle light rail and Cabinet deliberations

Apr

27

2016

Apologies for another light rail column, but I can’t escape the feeling we may be sleepwalking into a planning disaster, and I don’t want to have to say “I did nothing” if someone comes up to me in 20 years time and asks me how all of this happened, writes Ian Kirkwood at the Newcastle ...

Former Newcastle lord mayor Jeff McCloy slams the light rail route he helped create

Apr

7

2016

In June 2013, Cr McCloy – as he was then – wanted light rail running down Hunter Street, reports the Newcastle Herald. Now there was money to pay for it, the lord mayor was adamant that light rail “must” run down Hunter Street. Now however, Mr McCloy has a dramatically different view, saying the government’s plan is “a recipe ...

Application to set aside judgement – Media release 30/11/2015

Dec

1

2015

Save Our Rail was once more in Court today for a Directions Hearing. Hunter Development Corporation had lodged an Appeal after SOR won a Supreme Court judgment on 24th December 2014. Our position was that the closure of a rail line was in breach of the law at the time. The Transport Administration Act intention ...

Transport privatisation a cost to passengers – Media release 05/11/2015

Nov

6

2015

Save Our Rail is totally opposed to privatisation of rail services or the sale of the corridor land. Private operators have a duty to make a profit for their shareholders therefore the cost to the customer will be higher. Minister Constance: “Patronage on public transport in Newcastle has dropped and customers tell us the service ...

Pro-rail rally draws hundreds to Civic

Oct

11

2015

AT least 500 people attended a pro-rail rally at Civic on Sunday morning, timed to highlight concern over the Baird government’s likely push this week to pass rail-closing legislation, reports the Newcastle Herald. The rally began at the closed Civic railway station… The list of a dozen or so speakers included Greens MLC and transport ...

Alliance rallies to protect Newcastle rail corridor from developers

Oct

9

2015

An alliance of community groups, residents and students opposed to the privatisation and sale of Newcastle’s rail corridor will hold a rally at Civic Station this Sunday from 11am. The Maitland Mercury reports that the University of Newcastle Student Union Association will participate in the rally which will take a broader stance than Save Our ...

Keep rail on the the corridor! Who benefits? Who pays?

Oct

8

2015

Keep rail on the the corridor! Who benefits? Who pays?

Rally to ‘Keep Rail in the Corridor’ – Civic Station – Sun 11 October @ 11am

Sep

28

2015

Join SOR at the rally to ‘Keep Rail in the Corridor’. When: 11am on Sunday 11th October 2015. Where: in front of Civic Station. Let’s keep the pressure up before the Upper House debate only a couple of days later. Bring banners and signs.

Future of Newcastle rail line still in doubt

Sep

16

2015

The state government may not have secured the support of two upper house MPs who will hold the balance of power in a crucial vote on the future of Newcastle’s heavy rail line, reports the Maitland Mercury. … The vote had been expected to take place on Tuesday, but did not eventuate. … “We think ...

Video: State Parliament to vote on Rail Line Closure Bill this week

Sep

14

2015

A bill to authorise the closure of the Newcastle rail line will finally be debated in state parliament tomorrow, reports NBN News. In an 11th hour move against it, Save Our Rail is lobbying MPs who hold the balance of power in the Upper House. Watch the video on the NBN News website.

Save Our Rail seeks support to block changes to Transport Administration Act

Sep

12

2015

Objectors to the state government’s plan to cut Newcastle’s heavy rail line say they want to explain to two MPs, who will be crucial in a vote on the rail’s future next week, how the truncation will affect commuters in Maitland, reports the Maitland Mercury. … Labor, the Greens and the Christian Democratic Party have ...

Rally against the Rail Closure Bill — Sydney, Tues 15 September 2015

Sep

10

2015

RALLY AT 1 PM TUESDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2015, PARLIAMENT HOUSE, SYDNEY Please bring any SOR banners & signs you have from other rallies & marches. If you need a SOR sign they can be collected at 770 Hunter Street. Ring 0409 610 110 to arrange. Trains are as follows: Early birds – 8.25 a.m. Hamilton, ...