A WOMAN has been charged after allegedly causing obstruction to trains in Thornton as part of ongoing illegal climate protests.
On Tuesday July 2 around 3pm, police were called after the 69-year-old woman allegedly entered the rail corridor.
A man had also been charged after allegedly stopping a train in Farley at around 10 am on Tuesday July 2.
Police were called after reports the 35-year-old man had allegedly entered the rail corridor.
Separately, the man and the woman were taken to Maitland police station and charged with "enter inclosed non-agricultural lands serious safety risk, cause obstruction to railway locomotive or rolling stock, and hinder working of mining equipment".
They were both refused bail to appear before Maitland Local Court on Wednesday July 3.
A teenage girl was released from custody on another day of commuter chaos.
The 17-year-old was charged on Monday and faced a children's court for the first time today.
Blockade Australia said the Queensland girl had suspended herself 40 metres over a rail bridge at Singleton and walked free from custody a day after her arrest, on a six-month good behaviour bond.
On Tuesday, another woman separately stopped trains during illegal protests at Thornton.
Police were working to rescue the woman from where she had climbed on board a coal train on Tuesday afternoon.
Blockade Australia's eight days of action has so far seen at least 17 people arrested trying to stop coal trains accessing Newcastle port.
The actions of those involved have been slammed by authorities and politicians as dangerous and illegal.
Hunter line passenger trains between Newcastle Interchange, Scone and Dungog have been proactively cancelled from 6pm until the end of service today due to the protest activity, Transport for NSW confirmed.
Limited buses are replacing trains between Newcastle Interchange, Scone and Dungog.
#HunterLine Trains are not running between Newcastle Interchange and Maitland due to a police operation at Thornton.
— NSW TrainLink North (@TrainLinkNorth) July 2, 2024
Delay your travel if possible or consider using other transport.
We are arranging replacement buses, however none are available right now.
Updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/ypFlH7jFcp
A police operation to rescue the protester at Thornton closed the rail line again on Tuesday afternoon, and "limited" buses were available to replace trains between Newcastle and Maitland.
Commuters were told to expect significant delays and check transport apps, station information screens and listen to announcements for more information.
