THE peak Hunter business body says it will support delaying the construction of the Newcastle light rail if it means the state government will address a list of its concerns.
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Responding to a review of environmental factors for the light rail, the Hunter Business Chamber called for more scrutiny of its safety and governance and its impact on business and traffic.
The chamber’s submission called the government review “deficient” in “a number of areas”, and accused it of failing to gauge the light rail’s potential impact.
“A consequence of [more assessment] may mean a small delay to the project,” the chamber says.
“The Chamber would support this delay if it ensures all key urban renewal project elements are addressed appropriately.”
The chamber called on Transport for NSW to show how the light rail’s proposed segregated running base will cope with cars and pedestrians.
“The chamber position is not about one form of running versus the other, but making sure that the appropriate mitigation measures are included in the project now,” chamber chief executive Kristen Keegan said.
“Both options have positives and negatives, but the final technical solution has to be a key driver of urban renewal.”
The chamber also voiced concern at a Transport finding that struggling businesses on the Hunter Street light rail route “may be at risk of closure as a result of the additional stresses” of the construction.
Ms Keegan said the Wickham Transport Interchange would open in 2017 regardless of any delay in the light rail.
“Our point is there are many unknown elements such as traffic, parking, loading zones, cycleway that must be effectively dealt with now prior to the commencement of the light rail project, not at some later, undetermined date,” Ms Keegan told the Newcastle Herald.
This week, Transport for NSW Newcastle coordinator general Anna Zycki said the deadline to comment on the review had been extended to next Friday.
Sixty written submissions had been lodged.
