Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Carr to sell off more of the farm

STOP PRESS -- a modified version of the story below was published in the SMH today in Letters. Call me a media junky...

The announced closure of the Newcastle city rail is a disaster. It will increase car traffic while robbing inner city Novocastrians of their transport lifeline. It will damage CBD businesses because changing to buses at Broadmeadow, especially while carrying shopping, is a time-consuming hassle. It is heritage heresy and ecological vandalism.

Mr Carr simply wants the money for the real estate and yet more profit for his developer mates. The only force that can stop it would seem to be the transport unions, and I do hope they act -- even if it means more transport turmoil for Sydney!

Meanwhile, take a day train to Newcastle while you still can -- it's a classic journey, especially the Hawkesbury section, and the beachside city is a great place to spend a weekend.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hello , I hear that the rail corridor will be retained and likely used to run light rail...the nature of light rail is that it needs none of the cumbersome equipment to run trains as at present...signal boxes, signalpersons, the time-eating safety buffers of the type-F level crossings. The existing overhead power supply and rail can be altered to suit relatively easily, as seen in Melbourne where light rail has successfully replaced heavy on the City-St.Kilda and City-Port Melbourne corridors.
The barrier seperating the CBD and the foreshore in Newcastle will be lowered, allowing the city to become more in touch with the foreshore close by.
Trams operate on the principle of driver sight, and have the ability to stop much faster than heavy trains, making the use of many more pedestrian crossings feasible.
I read figures quoted by the Newcastle Herald...the community looks forward to hundreds of millions of dollars pouring into the city with the influx of people and subsequent development.
One has to admit that the Hunter Street area is in dire need of refurbishment...the streetscape is somewhat desolate and begs for businesses to come back.
Let's hope that the tram option will be utilised.
Broadmeadow rail yard will be expanded, probably using the old gasworks yards, another platform created for the diesel services to Maitland/Telarah, and subway extended to suit.
So shopping aside,(and convenience is paramount!), a workable transport model is achievable!
Cheers, Biff.