BUSES will replace trains between Newcastle and Telarah tonight as "urgent track repairs" are carried out at Tarro.
Passengers will have to take a bus instead of a train from about 10pm on Wednesday, October 18, to 2am on Thursday, October 19, a Transport for NSW spokesperson confirmed.
The first bus from Newcastle Interchange will be at 10.14pm, while the first bus from Telarah will be at 11.37pm.
"While generally low patronage hours of the day, passengers who must travel in this period should allow extra journey time," the spokesperson said.
The temporary line closure by the rail infrastructure manager, the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), will allow crews to access the tracks for "additional engineering works".
Transport for NSW is working with the ARTC and the maintenance contractor for the Tarro Rail Bridge to carry out urgent works.
The spokesperson said the urgent repairs were "complex in nature and require careful coordination".
Transport for NSW has been encouraging regular users of the New England Highway at Tarro to catch public transport, drive outside peak hours or work from home, due to heavy traffic conditions stemming from lane closures on the rail bridge.
The two outer lanes of Tarro Rail Bridge were urgently closed earlier this month after inspections turned up a critical safety issue.
A problem was first found during a routine inspection in July and a speed limit of 60 kilometres per hour was enforced, which remains in place.
"The defect relates to a structural issue with the columns supporting the outer lanes," a Transport for NSW spokesperson said last week.
"It is too early to determine how long it will take or how much repairs will cost, but the safety of the community is our key priority."
The line is busy for both passengers and freight.
Drivers have faced significant delays in the area, while major roads in and out of Newcastle have also had an increase in traffic as people try and avoid the congestion.
