Community members disgruntled by the new Newcastle bus system will meet at the Belmont 16 Footers tonight for a public protest.
They will join Hunter MPs and Shadow Minister for Transport Jodi Mackay to try to get the state government to conduct a review into the network's privatisation, however, it's understood no representatives from operator Keolis Downer or the NSW government were invited to the meeting.
They will also discuss issues of accessibility for disabled and elderly people, as well as reliability for school children.
Newcastle MP Tim Crackanthorp says representations made to Transport Minister Andrew Constance have so far fallen on deaf ears.
"He came back the next day and said I was just being a smart alec, and completely dismissed the concerns of these disabled people- people in my community."
"We certainly are here, we've got the community behind us, we're going to make it very loud and very clear to him there's a huge issue here and he needs to revise that timetable."
Caves Beach resident, John Gifford, is also among those opposing the new bus network and says he has started an online petition calling for a review on Change.org.
"We've got over nineteen-hundred signatures, they have gone to the minister- it does include people's reasons for why they signed the petition."
"Somebody has to do something about this, it's just totally unfair, my daughter can't come into Charlestown from Caves Beach to watch the movies or go to shops- she used to be able to do that."
Meanwhile, Hunter bus operator Keolis Downer is reporting increased passenger numbers on key routes across the network, as passengers utilise twelve-hundred extra services.
Early figures are showing especially positive results from commuters in populated areas such Charlestown, Merewether and Newcastle University.
Keolis Downer General Manager, Mark Dunlop says there's been a monumental change to how buses operate in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.
"We are, and we have constantly said, that we are taking all feedback and looking at the network, it is very early days."
"No doubt there will be refinement that needs to be done on the network and we are open to that and understand that's an integral part of the network going forward."
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| The meeting's announcement last week at Charlestown. |
