Newcastle Light Rail
| Newcastle Light Rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | Newcastle Transport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Garage | Wickham | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vehicle | 6 Urbos 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | In planning, from 2017 construction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Began service | 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessors | Newcastle railway line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Route | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Newcastle, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Start | Wickham Transport Interchange | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Via | Newcastle central business district | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| End | Pacific Park | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length | 2 km (1.2 mi) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transfers | Bus Train Ferry |
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Route as of 5/4/2016
The Newcastle Light Rail is a proposed Australian light rail line in Newcastle, New South Wales, running from Wickham Transport Interchange through the central business district to Pacific Park. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2017 and finish in 2019. The network will be controlled by the New South Wales Government's transport authority, Transport for NSW, and will be part of the authority's Opal ticketing system.
For decades the Newcastle railway line had been seen by some as an impediment to the redevelopment of Newcastle's central business district with many proposals for its closure.
In December 2012, the Government of New South Wales announced its intention to close the line east of Wickham with the closure of Wickham, Civic and Newcastle stations. The line closed between Hamilton and Newcastle stations on 25 December 2014, with a new Wickham Transport Interchange to open in late 2016.
Two options were put forward for the light rail route - reusing the heavy rail corridor or using an on-street route. In May 2014, it was announced a light rail line would be built using a predominately on-street route. About 500 m (1,640 ft) of the existing rail corridor east of Wickham station will be reused, before the light rail proceeds along Scott and Hunter Streets to terminate at Pacific Park.
The decision to use a predominately on-street route drew mixed reactions and led to speculation that the railway corridor could be sold to property developers. It also went against the advice of Transport for NSW, which supported reusing the heavy rail corridor and advised the government that an on-street route could cost almost $100 million extra and deliver a slower service. In December 2014, the Government announced that Newcastle City Council would have the final say in determining any future development in the former rail corridor.
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