A flash of red was seen darting around Hunter street this morning, with the first daytime test of Newcastle's light rail taking place.
NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance visited the CBD to witness the milestone, inspecting the depot and control centre before jumping aboard with engineers for a ride to Queens Wharf.
Minister Constance says he's fully confident Novocastrians will embrace the trams.
"Anybody who thinks Hunter Street is not going to come to life now because of public transport is wrong," he says, "we will see an uplift in values, we will see a restoration of confidence...I particarly want to pay tribute to the small business community who've done it particularly tough through construction, but look at it now."
The Transport Minister confirmed light rail services will be up and running sometime in February 2019.
Newcastle's first light rail vehicle has been put through its paces already, driven more than 500 kilometres by engineers testing braking and onboard energy storage.
Commuters will be able to pay for their trip via Opal card, credit or debit card as well as Apple Watches and smartphones.
Minister Constance says the state government is offering affordable fees.
"Can I also say to the people of Newcastle that you can get a 20 cent trip on the tram. We introduced the $2 transfer discount, it means people can catch a bus or the heavy rail to Wickham, then jump on a tram and enjoy the benefits of a 20 cent trip."
The next two light rail vehicles are expected to arrive in the next week as final testing goes ahead.
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| Transport Minister Andrew Constance in Newcastle. |
