Free shuttle bus services to John Hunter Hospital resume

The park-and-ride service started in 2007 but services stopped in 2015 when 740 new car parks were added to the hospital site.

The bus reinstatement was an election commitment made by Labor ahead of the 2023 state ballot.

A 22-seater bus will run between the hospital and McDonald Jones Stadium Monday to Friday between 6am and 6pm. A second 14-seater bus will also run during morning and afternoon peak times.

Passengers can use QR codes to track the bus in real-time and be alerted to disruptions.

Health Minister Ryan Park said the service would reduce demand on parking for patients, families and staff.

"I'm thrilled to bring this important service back to the local community to make it easier for people to travel to John Hunter Hospital," he said.

"In addition to the shuttle service, a new multi-storey car park is being built as part of the $835 million John Hunter Health and Innovation Precinct project, due for completion in 2026."

Hunter New England Local Health District chief executive Tracey McCosker said the shuttle bus service would serve the growing Hunter community.

"It also supports our district's environmental sustainability initiatives by helping to remove hundreds of cars per day from the hospital road network, car parks, and surrounding streets," she said.

Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery raised the issue in parliament while in opposition in 2021.

"Thank you to the thousands of residents who filled out my petition to restate this service," she said.

"This service is something our community has long advocated for, so I am thrilled that it is being reinstated to make car parking and commuting easier for patients, visitors and staff."

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp said the reinstatement was "a huge win" for patients, visitors and staff.