Parks and Playgrounds Movement have been dismayed at the way State Governments have disregarded the importance of Newcastle. In recent years we have seen the Royal Newcastle Hospital removed from the city to make way for property developers, the harbour foreshore at Honeysuckle alienated from the people for property developers and now the Government is threatening the removal of Newcastle from the CityRail network for property developers.

We support the view held by the community that rail services should be maintained to the historic Newcastle Railway Station.

Newcastle is an integral part of the NSW CityRail network and at least 11, 000 people use the Hamilton to Newcastle corridor each day (Statistics from the Hunter Commuter Council). Furthermore the rail has the potential to encourage larger numbers of people directly into the city from the Hunter Valley hinterland and from the Central Coast and the Sydney Region but it is never promoted.

Rail passengers entering Newcastle have the foreshore and harbour on one side and the city on the other. This gives Newcastle a unique sense of place and a distinctly interesting and attractive entrance to the city.

The effect of making public transport patrons change services for the inner city, by adding the inconvenience of waiting for connecting services or changing the mode of travel will only create an intolerable burden for public transport patrons. People who never use public transport have no idea what the imposition of extra travel time and inconvenience does to customers. They don’t like it and they won’t put up with it. The recent revision of Newcastle bus services caused a significant loss of patronage.

It is not possible to force people to travel by public transport. Most public transport users do so because it is their only option or because they are too old to drive or have no car or are young, unemployed or have disabilities. On the other hand intercity commuters as well as car drivers use CityRail services and there is opportunity for promoting increased travel to Newcastle by rail.

Market Street - proposed pedestrian barrier controlled rail crossing
with overbridge connecting Hunter Street Mall with the foreshore

The removal of rail services to Newcastle Station cannot be countenanced if Newcastle is to retain its commercial hub and uniquely beautiful historic character much loved by its citizens. The bustle of trains and the movement of ships on the harbour add to the life and excitement of Newcastle as a City.

The 1981 Foreshore and Civic Design Competition had as its central feature the creation of a scenic landscaped corridor from Brown Street to Newcastle Station that capitalised on these unique features. But little has been done to protect and improve this aspect of the city and tidy up the corridor.
Newcastle also needs an improved crossing at Civic with pedestrian gates at each side of Merewether Street and crush lanes in Hunter Street to allow two free traffic lanes and a turning lane for vehicles crossing the rail. In addition a new crossing is needed at Worth Place but again nothing has been done. It is ironic that pedestrian crossings and over bridges have been removed from four locations on this line in recent years.

The number of passengers actually using Newcastle Station each day varies according to the activities promoted in the city or on the foreshore. It is obvious that these could be increased with the support of the City Council. The continual denigration of the railway has got to be replaced by positive promotion of Newcastle.

The opportunity to share our city with a wider community and with tourists is great if the real issues are squarely faced. The rail connection right into the city is one unique feature of Newcastle that needs to be supported and protected if we are to have a people friendly city that welcomes all visitors to its front door.

Under no circumstances should Newcastle be cut off from the CityRail network.

Doug Lithgow President
Parks and Playgrounds Movement
[email protected]
www.geocities.com/parksandplaygrounds/

Historic Newcastle Railway Station