The transport workers' union will use Labor's state conference at Sydney Town Hall this weekend to urge the NSW government to reverse the privatisation of public transport networks - including in the Hunter.
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The Rail, Tram and Bus Union will move a resolution at the conference calling for the government to return public transport networks in Newcastle and Sydney to "public hands".
French firm Keolis Downer won a 10-year contract in late 2016 to run Newcastle buses, the Stockton ferry and the city's light rail system.
RTBU NSW secretary Toby Warnes said Newcastle had experienced a decline in bus service quality since the privatisation took place, which he said was a symptom of private operators prioritising their bottom line.
"Privatising Newcastle's bus network has been a complete disaster. Commuters have had to deal with inferior services while drivers have had to fight for decent pay and conditions from Keolis Downer," he said.
"We've seen bus routes slashed mercilessly to maximise profits for the private operator which has come at the expense of effective and reliable services for local commuters.
"What NSW Labor needs to do is fulfil its election promise about stopping privatisation and return Newcastle's bus services into public hands to start fixing the region's chronic transport issues."
The union said in a statement public ownership was the only way to "break this cycle of decline".
Since it took over in 2017, Keolis Downer has changed routes and timetables, which has sparked complaints from some passengers and a 10,000-signature petition tabled in Parliament in 2018.
The Minns government established a bus industry taskforce last year to examine the effects of privatisation and recommend improvements.
A report by the taskforce published in February identified four Hunter routes as "short-term" priorities - Charlestown to Newcastle via Jesmond and Newcastle University; Cameron Park to Newcastle via New Lambton; Cessnock to East Maitland; and Mimmi to Newcastle via Wallsend.
