In its vision for a thriving and sustainable Newcastle, Save Our
Rail NSW Inc identifies problems of connectivity and addresses community
needs in this proposal. The resulting solutions aim to retain sustainable
transport while overcoming the need to connect new commercial and
residential developments with established business areas of Newcastle.
Public Meeting
Saturday 13th December 2008 - 12 noon
Newcastle Leagues Club
National Park Street (opposite Spotlight)
Guest Speaker: Dr. Garry Glazebrook, UTS
Researcher in Sustainable Transport and Urban Development
End the line at Wickham?
Change of mode = longer trip
Result: many will opt for car use
More cars on road = traffic jams
More cars on road = not enough parking
Buses won't cope with peak train loads
Current bus users will lose their seats
Buses will be stuck in the traffic jams too
Surfboards, bikes, prams, luggage won't fit
Save Our Rail proposes:
Pedestrian level crossings to connect the city to the
harbour - safe and convenient
Rail viaduct at Stewart Avenue - no queues
Redevelop Civic Station - unify Cultural Precinct with
pedestrian concourse
Improve access at Newcastle Station - open to Bolton
St, Newcomen St, and Wharf Rd
Rail line beautification
New "Harbourlink"station near Crown St
Dude, Where's My Foreshore?
Look closely at these pictures taken from GPT's recently released
"virtual tour" of the Newcastle CBD. GPT demands that
the rail line be cut at Wickham as described in their city vision
masterplan by Civitas. Wharf Road is to be cut at Queen's Wharf
and open foreshore parkland is lost to four massive buildings. The
remaining view from Hunter St / Scott St to the harbour will be
gone. There'll be a barrier, but it's not the rail!
Development on the railway corridor and open
space
(click images to enlarge)
San Diego: Railway Level Crossings Connect City & Harbour
20th October 2008
Don't believe everything you read in the paper. San Diego
is an example of the success that comes from keeping the
rail, not removing it!
San Diego does indeed have a vibrant waterfront with a convention
centre, marina park, and luxury hotel, but did you know it has
a rail corridor along its waterfront (much like here in Newcastle)?
San Deigo's city and harbour are connected by at-grade level
crossings across three sets of railway tracks. These crossings
provide easy pedestrian access. Take
a look for yourself on YouTube:
GPT and Newcastle Rail Line
MEDIA RELEASE - 19th October 2008
Save Our Rail has never been opposed to development in the Newcastle
CBD and it is long been on the public record as regards the need
for greater pedestrian access between Hunter St and the Honeysuckle/Foreshore
area.
Save Our Rail has been vigorously promoting a development plan
for the Newcastle CBD since it was first presented to the representative
of the Minister for Transport at the State Government Cabinet meeting
at Maitland in March this year. The central feature of this plan
was the creation of large street level pedestrian crossings to link
the Honeysuckle development and the Foreshore to Hunter St.
Save Our Rail will demonstrate that it is more cost efficient to
retain the rail line into Newcastle than to terminate it at Wickham,
that the patronage of the rail service would be dramatically reduced
due to a 'blow out' in travelling times into the city, that the
youth, elderly, disabled and businesses in the Civic and mall areas
would be disadvantaged and that parking problems in the city would
be exacerbated.
Put simply, Save Our Rail's proposal is superior to that of GPT
because it includes a greater number of access routes between Hunter
St and the Honeysuckle/Foreshore area, without the loss of the rail
line... [Read
the full media release]
Future Transport Needs
27 May 2008
[NOTE: October 2008: This plan is being currently being
expanded to address all north-south connectivity issues,
as per the above media release, and will deliver a solution
superior to GPT's proposal while retaining the rail. When
ready, it will be posted on this website.]
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:
Two “at grade” pedestrian crossings in Inner Newcastle
Additional stations and parking improvement in Maitland
Examination of unrealised potential at Newcastle Station
Download the entire document "Sustainable Transport
in an Urban Environment: the Need for Transport Integration in Newcastle":
The world's wealthiest cities have the least car use.
Strong rail cities are more wealthy - Peter Newman (NSW
Commissioner for Sustainability, 2005)
Newcastle's rail into the heart of the city, electrified by
the Wran Government, has been of great benefit to the region.
The Iemma Government has reinforced this by its 2007 investment
in the line.
With growing and increasingly aged population, global warming and
soaring petrol prices now is an ideal time to improve and expand
this resource.
Crossings
Pedestrian 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.
Reports 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 Potential
Newcastle 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.
Conclusion
Public 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:
better access across the rail to connect with buses in Newcastle
better access to rail by the provision of stations in the development
areas in Maitland and improved access to existing stations
exploration of unused potential at Newcastle Station and improved
platform access for passenger convenience
Now is the time for a further investment in the Newcastle and
Hunter Rail Lines.
Keep the Rail and Remove the Barrier
You don't need to remove the rail or reduce rail services to remove
the "railway barrier".
Landscaping can beautify the rail corridor.
New pedestrian-friendly level crossings, in addition to replacing
the rail overpasses removed in previous years, can allow for easy
access.
Investment in signalling can reduce delays endured by motorists
by two-thirds, especially the frustration of being stopped at
a boom gate when no train is crossing the road.
Landscaped Railway Corridor
(click image to enlarge)
Pedestrian Level Crossing
(click image to enlarge)
You Can Help
SOR Lower Hunter meet at 5.30 PM on the first Wednesday of each
month at Hamilton Station Hotel (no meeting in January).
SOR Maitland meet 7.00 PM on the second Wednesday of each month
at St. Peter's Church Hall East Maitland.
Save Our Rail NSW Inc. has been involved
in a continuous campaign to raise support for the Newcastle rail
service that the State Government plans to cut. We have organised
a number of public meetings, rallies and protests that demonstrate
the overwhelming support for the maintenance and improvement of
the Newcastle Service as essential to the life of the region.
Save Our Rail is not a "rabble" as unfairly depicted
in newspaper cartoons, but a responsible group of unpaid volunteers,
who undertake to work on behalf of the community, to retain services
and advocate public transport use. We have co-operated with other
groups, including the Newcastle Alliance and Hunter Business Chamber.
Maintaining and improving Lower Hunter public
transport benefits everyone!
Reminder: Public meeting Saturday 13th December 2008.
18th January 2007
Save Our Rail gave a brief transport presentation to the Hunter
Business Chamber, a copy of which is available
for download in this article.
29th March 2006
Our presentation "Newcastle Rail Improvements
for the Hunter", plus our critical review of the Chamber's
proposal, are available
for download in this article.
19th February 2006 Download Professor Graham Currie's full report
and also the presentation used during his recent address to Newcastle
City Council. He slammed the reports used to recommend the closure
of the Newcastle rail line.
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