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ArticlesInteresting articles related to the Save Our Rail campaign are available below. Future Transport Needs27th May 2008
A delegation from Save Our Rail presented our public transport improvement plan to representatives of Transport Minister Watkins. Also attending was Member for Newcastle, Jodi McKay, who supported our plan. Features of this proposal include the provision of relatively inexpensive options:
Download the entire document "Sustainable Transport in an Urban Environment: the Need for Transport Integration in Newcastle":
Summary of the ProposalThe world's wealthiest cities have the least car use.
With growing and increasingly aged population, global warming and soaring petrol prices now is an ideal time to improve and expand this resource. CrossingsPedestrian access to the Honeysuckle developments from Hunter Street is poor. It is totally lacking for the newer office buildings at the western end of Honeysuckle Drive, which have no link to the Hunter Street bus network or to the nearby shopping facilities. At grade crossings at Steel Street and Worth Place would provide a relatively low cost solution to this problem. Crossings need to be identifiable from the distance, proclaiming "I can cross here." Save Our Rail suggests that arches, reflecting Newcastle's architecture, would be symbolic of this city. The arch depends on its keystone and these arches, indicating crossings, will be the keystones of the newly integrated City of Newcastle. In our opinion the provision of these crossings is essential for the effective functioning of the city. There is a need for improved access to the whole Honeysuckle precinct by a separation of road and rail at Stewart Avenue. Save Our Rail continues to promote the provision of a rail flyover, as a cheaper option than a road overpass to unclog this intersection. Maitland Housing Estates - Road Congestion - Rail AccessReports in the Maitland Mercury express community concern over the inability of the road system, already under stress, to cope with large land releases. Traffic on the connecting road between the two cities, Maitland and Newcastle, is forced into a bottleneck, where the road runs between the Hunter River and Hexham Swamp, the geography limiting expansion of the road, The necessary mass transit system, the rail line, is in place to provide for commuting between the new developments and a newly created employment complex in Newcastle. The land releases in the Maitland area are close to the rail, but lack stations. The replacement of stations lost at Farley/Rutherford and Oakhampton and provision of a new station at Aberglasslyn would encourage the use of rail and prevent further road congestion. The huge development occurring at Thornton North would better access the rail with the provision of parking and an entry road to the northern side of Metford Station. The Huntlee housing estate requires an upgrade of facilities at Branxton Station. The recent decision to provide bus facilities instead, is inappropriate, as these will contribute to the road congestion, and will be caught in the bottlenecks already occurring. Victoria Street Station is well patronised, but lacks disability compliance, which would be overcome with the provision of lifts. The connection between the Sydney train and the diesel service to Maitland needs some examination as to whether a "dedicated connection" is warranted. Newcastle Station - Unrealised PotentialNewcastle Station is a magnificent building and is the most used station in the local network, in terms of patronage. However there are currently unused areas within the building which could be reactivated. Its proximity to activity areas - at Queens Wharf and Hunter Mall (which is to be redeveloped) indicate the untapped commercial potential of this asset, which could become a function centre or accommodation facility. The passenger friendly aspects of Newcastle Station would be enhanced with improved access, by opening the western end - towards Newcomen and Bolton Streets (and the Mall) and towards Queens Wharf and the ferry service. Sympathetic Development on the foreshore side of Newcastle Station should be considered, which could provide an income stream for the maintenance of this heritage building and towards the improvement of passenger services. ConclusionPublic transport, in particular train transport, will become more vital with increased population, more aged people, global warming and the need to reduce car emissions, as well as rising petrol prices with the reality of "Peak Oil"already evident. It needs to be convenient, frequent and punctual if it is to be chosen over car use. The Save Our Rail proposals are aimed at the integration of public transport services in the Newcastle and Lower Hunter area through:
Now is the time for a further investment in the Newcastle and Hunter Rail Lines. SOR's Presentation to Hunter Business Chamber18th January 2007 On 18th January 2007, the Hunter Business Chamber conducted a transport group forum at which Save Our Rail gave a brief presentation titled "Transport Development for the Hunter Community". Download a copy of Save Our Rail's presentation here: Newcastle Rail Line UpdateNovember 2006Save Our Rail representatives met with the Premier's Department IIG (Infrastructure Implementation Group) to be advised of progress since Mr Iemma's announcement that the rail would be retained to Newcastle Station. Save Our Rail is concerned that this will not actually be the outcome because of an intention to remove electrification from the Newcastle line. We were given brochures outlining some improvements between Hamilton and Newcastle, as follows:
Despite these gains we have great concerns because:
This would cause disadvantage to all commuters catching the train between Newcastle and Sydney, Central Coast or Lake Macquarie. Passengers would be re-routed to Warabrook to change trains to the Hunter Line diesel service. The time penalty would be at least half an hour, apart from the inconvenience of the movement from one train to another. Overcrowding on the smaller diesel trains is another likely result. Loss of patronage would result in the line being closed after all. Have We Saved Newcastle Rail? NOT YET!Updated 9th May 2006 The State Government is now considering cutting the electric service to Newcastle, threatening the viability of the whole Lower Hunter transport system. This would disadvantage all passengers through:
It would ultimately lead to the closure of the line through loss of patronage. THE DIRECT ELECTRIC SERVICE TO NEWCASTLE STATION MUST BE RETAINED. With this in mind, Save Our Rail has a positive plan for the improving the line: Upgrade:
Provide:
Enhance:
Promote:
Save Our Rail's Plan Presented to Govt23rd March 2006 On Thursday 23rd March 2006, Save Our Rail met with representatives from the NSW Government's Infrastructure Implementation Group (IIG). Save Our Rail put forward its proposal on how best to spend the recently announced $20 million allocated to improving the Newcastle Rail Line, including:
Also, we took the opportunity to highlight the major flaws in the proposal put forward by the Hunter Business Chamber (i.e. their plan to divert all electric trains to a new terminus at Warabrook, keeping only diesel trains running in the Newcastle at a very slow 20 km/h). Our presentation "Newcastle Rail Improvements for the Hunter", plus the critical review of the Chamber's proposal, are available for download in this article. Premier's Taskforce ReportAdded 20th March 2006 Read the recommendations and the full report of the Premier's Taskforce in this article "Rail line will be staying" : NSW Premier21st February 2006 - SOR Media Release
Download the Currie Review Final Report19th February 2006 First, Professor Graham Currie's report "Decision to Close the Newcastle Branch Rail Line - Independent Review of Transport Reports - Final Report" is available for download. This report details the findings of an independent review of recent reports regarding the NSW State Government's decision to close the rail line to Newcastle Station. Second, the presentation that Prof Currie used during his address to Newcastle City Council on 14th February 2006 is also available for download. The presentation summarises the key points in his full report. Professor Currie's report and presentation are available for download in this article. SOR's Submission to the Lower Hunter Regional StrategySave Our Rail - 20th January 2006 The NSW Government has developed an 25-year overall land-use plan to ensure the Lower Hunter region develops in a strong and sustainable way. The strategy once finalised will guide local planning in the five local government areas of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Maitland and Cessnock, and inform decisions on service and infrastructure delivery. Read Save Our Rail's full submission to the Department of Planning's Lower Hunter Regional Strategy. Honeysuckle Conflict of Interest and MisinformationJoan Dawson - 2005 The only benefit of the closure of the rail would be short-term gain for developers, including the Honeysuckle Corporation. Hon Michael Costa, when Minister for Transport, made a decision to cut the line from Broadmeadow to Newcastle, advised by a committee, appointed by him. The composition of the committee is cause for concern, with three of the four members also on the Board of the Honeysuckle Corporation, a clear conflict of interest. The committee included Newcastle Lord Mayor, John Tate; Secretary of Newcastle Trades Hall Council, Gary Kennedy; and Chair of the Hunter Business Chamber, Glenn Thornton. Save Our Rail feels that government planning bodies were misinformed and are acting on the basis of errors or misinterpretations and this is being continually reinforced. SOR's Submission to the Premier's Hunter Transport Task ForceSave Our Rail - 28th November
2005 Save Our Rail met with representatives of the Premier's Task Force into the Newcastle Rail Service on Monday 28th November 2005. Below is Save Our Rail's submission prepared for the meeting. Amazingly, the Premier's representatives wouldn't accept it - they didn't want anything in writing! Joan Dawson spoke on the submission, going through most of the document, refusing to be sidetracked. Save Our Rail is determined that the Task Force and the Premier see our Reasons for Retention of Newcastle Rail Services in full! Read Save Our Rail's full submission to the Premier's Hunter Transport Task Force. Premier's Special Task Force on Hunter TransportNSW Legislative Assembly -
9th November 2005 NSW Minister for Planning, Mr Frank Sartor made the following announcement in State Parliament: "...the Premier has appointed a special task force to advise him on a way forward for the future of rail services into the Newcastle central business district [CBD]. The task force met for the first time yesterday, and will consider a range of options, including the current Broadmeadow interchange, the feasibility of light rail, and options for terminating rail services at Civic station. The task force will report to the Premier by the end of February 2006. The Premier has committed $20 million to progressing the task force's work in 2006-07." Write to the Premier's Task Force. See this article for the mailing address. Save Armidale Rail Campaign a SuccessFONR Newsletter - Armidale
- November 2005 Friends of the Northern Railway (FONR) successfully led a campaign of "people power" to save the Armidale rail line in 2004. In their November 2005 FONR newsletter, they had the following to say about the Save Our Rail campaign in the Lower Hunter: "...In the lower Hunter Valley, there are continuing differences of opinion over the state government's intention to scrap the railway line to Newcastle and to make everyone get on to a bus at Broadmeadow. On a different scale, this would be something like closing Central and the City Circle line and putting everyone on buses at Ashfield or Redfern, so that the railway property could be re-developed. Increasingly the Newcastle rail closure is being seen as of benefit only to certain commercial interests and as a disaster for the travelling public. Twenty years ago, Perth and Fremantle were wise enough to turn back just in time from converting their trains to buses. Let's hope Newcastle can be kept on the rails too. We're told that Newcastle University students like to catch late evening trains between Warrabrook and the city. I Can't See You and You Pretend Not to See MeJames Bennett - 24th June 2005 The Newcastle Herald feature article of 24th June 2005 published by vision impaired business person James Bennett is self explanatory. It should be noted that the eastern side of Beaumont Street (near Hamilton Station) is the location of the Royal Blind Society and is visited by about a thousand vision impaired people weekly. "...This month I was forced to travel by a coach, temporarily replacing the rail service to Newcastle, to get to the Royal Blind Society, where I study braille and computer literacy, four days a week... This is not a problem to a sighted person, as it is only a matter of ducking across the road when traffic permits... For a blind person it is a whole new ball game..." |
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