[Greens-Media] FW: MEDIA RELEASE: 'Hunter and Newcastle Lines Amongst Highest for Customer Satisfaction, So Why Is the Government Truncating Them?'

[Mehreen Faruqi]

Media Release
16.10.14
Hunter and Newcastle Lines Amongst Highest for Customer Satisfaction, So Why Is the Government Truncating Them?
Greens NSW MP and Transport Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC, has today pointed to new data showing high levels of satisfaction for the Hunter and Newcastle Lines as further evidence of the need to retain access to the Newcastle City Centre and cancel plans to truncate the lines.

Dr Faruqi said:

"Based on the high levels of satisfaction on the Hunter and Newcastle Lines, amongst the highest across the whole network, there is no justification for truncating this line.

"There is clearly no case, on public transport grounds or on commuter satisfaction for cutting the Newcastle rail line.

"One of the areas the community wants the Government to improve on is the journey time, which could be increased with signalling upgrades and the use of tilt trains on the Newcastle Line.

"Forcing people to change at Wickham onto buses for an unknown length of time then a light rail, if it is ever built, will only lengthen commutes, discourage public transport use and decrease commuter satisfaction.

"It makes no social, economic or environmental sense to remove a valuable public transport service that brings commuters into the heart of Newcastle", she concluded.

Customer Satisfaction Survey: http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/content/customer-satisfaction-index

Media Contact: Matt Hilton 0423 106 247