[Greens-Media] FW: MEDIA RELEASE: 'Greens MP calls on Government to Release Corridor Management Plan for Newcastle Rail Cut Plan' (greens NSW Mp Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC)

[Mehreen Faruqi]

Media Release
17.12.14
Greens MP calls on Government to Release Corridor Management Plan for Newcastle Rail Cut Plan
Greens NSW MP and Spokesperson for Transport has called on the NSW Government to release the 'residual corridor management plan' for the Newcastle rail line. The corridor management plan would manage environmental and heritage impacts.  The Government plans to cut the line next week, but has failed to produce the plan which is a condition of consent of the proposed Wickham interchange.
Dr Faruqi said:

"With just over a week to go until the Government plans to cut the Newcastle rail line, they still haven't released a corridor management plan which is a condition of consent.

"Either they have no plan or there is chaos in the Transport department. At a bare minimum, no work should be undertaken before this plan is released to the public.

"We know that the Government is ignoring the people of the Hunter by trying to push ahead with its plans to cut the line, but will they also ignore planning approvals by not releasing the plan.

"On the weekend, thousands of people joined to rally against the Liberal Government plans to cut the rail line in Newcastle - NSW may well be the first state in the world to rip up a direct connection between its largest and second largest cities" Dr Faruqi concluded.

Conditions of Consent (point 45):
http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/b2b/projects/WTI_Conditions_of_Approval.pdf

Media contact: Matt Hilton for Dr Mehreen Faruqi 9230 2625| 0423 106 247