BY JESSICA ROUSE
It might only be a trial, but Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald is confident a new fast train from Newcastle to Sydney could be permanent.
Starting in November, the trial will see Novocastrians slash 26 minutes off the train trip from Newcastle to Sydney by taking out stops at Cardiff, Fassifern and Eastwood.
Once the new Wickham Transport Interchange is finished the new service will leave at 5:03am, replacing the 4:40am service.
It’ll stop at Hamilton, Broadmeadow, Morisset, Wyong, Tuggerah, Gosford, Woy Woy, Hornsby, Epping and Strathfield both ways.
Scot MacDonald says they’ve been working on this one for a while and is really pleased the Transport Minister has agreed to the trial.
“The approach that I think has worked here is saying to the Minster, look we don’t have to lock anything in, we don’t have to have a permanent change at this stage, but at least lets have a trial and see how it goes and as I say I think they’ll be a good demand for this.”
Coming back home from Sydney will be quicker as well, 11 minutes will be trimmed off the trip from Central to Newcastle on the 3:45pm train.
The government says the trial was part of the $1.5 billion More trains More Services Program to improve the network, and even better everyone likes a sleep in, no matter how small.
“I think it’s terrific for people to not have to get up quite so early, it’s still an early start obviously, but I think its what people in Newcastle have been calling out for,” said Scot MacDonald.