Transport for NSW says it is planning a "mass transport corridor" for Newcastle and will share the preferred route with the public in the next four months.
The Newcastle Herald asked Transport Minister Jo Haylen for an update on the city's light rail extension on Friday after the government announced it was powering ahead with the $3.9 billion second stage of the Parramatta tram line.
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said in response to the Herald's questions that the department had "progressed planning for a future mass transport corridor" in Newcastle.
"It is expected the preferred corridor will be placed on display for community feedback in the first half of 2024," the spokesperson said.
The TfNSW response did not specify whether the "corridor" would be for buses or light rail and did not identify where the corridor would run.
A draft Hunter transport plan released in October referred to a "potential" tram line to John Hunter Hospital, a distance of 7km, but placed the project in the category of "for investigation" with a 10-year timeframe.
Committee for the Hunter chief executive Alice Thompson said preserving a dedicated corridor to and beyond Broadmeadow, linking major job hubs such as the hospital and University of Newcastle, was an "immediate priority".
"This should be capable of bus rapid transit and keep options open for future light rail," she said.
Parramatta push
The government announced on Friday that the 10-kilometre extension of Parramatta's tram line to Olympic Park had won planning approval and work would begin this year.
The project includes a $600 million bridge, one of two over the Parramatta River, after the Minns government committed $200 million last year to "expedite the project's planning processes so construction can begin this term of Parliament".
The government has pushed the go button on the project before the 12km, $2.875 billion first stage of the Parramatta light rail line has opened.
In Newcastle, the city centre's 2.7km light rail line opened in 2019 with promises from then premier Gladys Berejiklian to build a second stage out into the suburbs.
The mass transport corridor could link the Newcastle Interchange with the proposed Hunter Park redevelopment.
On Thursday, the government said it had asked TfNSW to prepare a business case on bus service improvements for Newcastle and the rest of the state after its industry taskforce found the network had been "neglected".
The taskforce said improving bus services from central Newcastle to the hospital was one of several "quick wins" the government should fund.
Transport 'neglected'
Ms Thompson said the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie public transport district had experienced over six per cent population growth between Census counts in 2016 and 2021 "without commensurate investment in services".
"Existing services, bus or rail, are not up to scratch for a large, modern population and economy," she said.
"The NSW Bus Industry Taskforce second report called this out for what it is, neglect, recommending urgent funding to improve services across key Hunter corridors."
Ms Thompson said TfNSW had been "engaging substantively" with regional stakeholders on the Hunter transport plan and this was the "right vehicle for discussions on future network planning, including how light rail fits into a long-term plan".
The Committee for the Hunter has been critical of the state and federal governments for cutting $1.5 billion in funding for short-term improvements to the Newcastle to Sydney rail line.
"The Hunter handed back $500 million for rail improvements to NSW last year," Ms Thompson said.
"This funding is a fraction of that spent on new metros and bus services in metro Sydney and could go a long way in making improvements to the Hunter's public transport to make a difference in months, not years."
