Another Ferry Stop for Newcastle?

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Another ferry stop could be on the cards for Newcastle.

The Throsby Business Chamber surveyed their members to find out where they would like to see another ferry stop and found 54 per cent would like to see the ferry stop at Wickham.

Other respondents saw Carrington as another possible place for a stop which the chamber believes wouldn't be too much of a stretch because the ferries already moor there.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald said there have been a few ideas put forward and all of them are quite good.

"You'd have a ferry stop near Carrington or a little bit further up at Wickham and then join up with the Wickham/Newcastle Interchange and then that would go up to Queens Wharf. So there are a few ideas and a few options being looked at and considered."

The idea of another ferry stop isn't something that hasn't been thought of before, Scot said there is the consideration in both the 2056 Transport Plan and also in the Draft Greater Newcastle Metro Plan.

"It's always good to hear from the local community including the business community and it builds the case so this will be taken on board, this will be listened to and I'm grateful to the Throsby Business Chamber for going to this effort and putting the survey together," said Scot.

The business chamber says the demand for the ferry service has been proven, particularly during the Supercars Newcastle 500 two weeks ago and the use of the ferry service just between Queens Wharf and Stockton every day.

The survey results have been sent off to Transport Minister Andrew Constance.

Queens Wharf Image Wikipedia

Newcastle Transport Operator Starting 2018 With a Fresh Timetable

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Newcastle's private transport operator will certainly be starting the new year fresh when it comes to its transport network.

Keolis Downer announced their new Newcastle Transport network today which will be introduced from January 14, 2018 running across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.

More than 1200 bus and ferry services, or 25 per cent more services, will be added to the timetable and the whole network is aimed to improve connections between suburbs and town centres. Services will run every 15 minutes during the day.

Keolis Downer CEO Campbell Mason said they've used a lot of community consultation from both people who use public transport and those who don't, to create the new timetable.

Keolis Downer CEO Campbell Mason.

"We really need to get them out of cars and onto buses and ferries so we've had a very extensive program of community engagement and programs to get input via our website, social pinpoint interactive site, direct representations and of course hearing from our staff."

The transport operator says they'll be carrying out a lot of communication to the public about the changes between now and January 14 including through advertising, the newcastletransport.info website which has an interactive map allowing you to drop a pin into the area you want to go and get details on the services which will be going through that particular point. 

Keolis Downer also plans to have an online travel concierge, customer service operators throughout the city and pop up sessions. 

Campbell says they've designed a network to better connect with train services as well.

"Obviously we have connections running into Cardiff, Broadmeadow Station and the Newcastle Interchange itself. One of the key things as I mentioned we've been hearing from the Lake Macquarie area, Swansea and Belmont in particular, is the need for better connection through to Cardiff."

The revamp of the system will also see the route numbers change from being three digits to just double digits.

"One of the things that we've been keen to do is to make sure we have a new network and have new and revised routes we need new numbers. Our experience has shown that people will be confused if you try and keep the old route numbers and change the route," said Campbell.

Newcastle 500 Transport Strategy Should make Travel a Breeze

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The transport plan for how thousands of people will be getting around during the Supercars Newcastle 500 event has finally been released.

There will be an integrated ticketing option with 300 additional buses and 90 more train services scheduled for the three-day event.

Park and ride services will be located not only from McDonald Jones Stadium to the Honeysuckle precinct, but also added across Newcastle Harbour at Stockton for the ferry service.

There will be two ferries running which can carry 200 passengers and crew each. The ferries will be running every 5 to 10 minutes.

Newcastle 500 Event Manager Kurt Sakzewski says the plan will easily enable 150,000 commuters to get in and out.

"We want to make sure all of those people can get in and out of the event in an easy manner and that's why we've introduced this integrated ticketing option so people will be able to come in whether it's via bus, ferry, train, in coming from Sydney and the outer regions,"

Event Manager Kurt Sakzewski.

"They'll be coming into Newcastle here, they'll be delivered to the gate and after the even, they'll take the same routes home as well," said Kurt Sakzewski.

The ticket you've purchased to get into the event itself will give you free public transport whatever it may be.

"The great thing about the integrated ticket is it doesn't matter what version of public transport that you want to take, you can get on a bus, get on a ferry, get on a train, you just show your event ticket and it just gives you access all of the way through for no extra cost," said Kurt Sakzewski.

Revitalising Newcastle Program Director Michael Cassel says they've tried to prepare for anything.

"We will have a command centre running throughout the three days to the event. That command centre will include everyone from police, event organisers, Keolis Downer, and people from NSW Transport so we'll be able to monitor what's going on and we'll be able to make changes as we move throughout the day and the night."

Event organisers have planned for people coming into the city from every possible way and they say this year will be a very good test to see how well they've planned.

"We can assess how it actually works after year one but we also keep an eye on where our ticket sales are from as well so gives us a little heads up but really it will be after the event itself that we will know the exact details and obviously in year two we will apply that to the plan," said Kurt Sakzewski.

Kurt admits it will be interesting to see how well people will be moved in and out of city on the Friday and Saturday nights but they've been working with police and every other transport agency to ensure everyone gets out in a timely manner.

The biggest piece of advice the organisers have is to catch public transport. Don't drive.

"We really want to encourage people to take public transport. All major events government use public transport to ferry people in and out and that would be the most efficient and least disruptive way to get in and out of the event," said Michael Cassel.

Newcastle Transport Consultation in Wallsend

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Residents are being urged to go along to an information session with Newcastle's transport operator this morning.

The consultation started at 9:30 at the Wallsend Plaza and goes until 12:30pm.

It comes after a string of problems with Keolis Downer underpaying works and cancelling a range of services, reportedly without any notice.

Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery is very happy the operator decided to hold consultation sessions out in her electorate and is urging everyone to go along.

"Accessible and reliable public transport is a priority for many in Wallsend. Thousands of residents in the western suburbs rely on public transport to get to work and school every day,"

"It is important that Wallsend residents make sure that their voices are heard on this issue."

Just another Problem for Keolis Downer in Newcastle

BY JESSICA ROUSE

There appears to be even more problems with Newcastle's private transport operator Keolis Downer.

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp has been told by parents at St Pius X High School that buses have failed to pick their children up leaving them with no choice but to take them to school themselves.

On one occasion, a parent says the 816 bus that takes her son from The Junction to St Pius X High School failed to turn up twice.

Tim Crakanthorp says it's just not on.

"There's a lot wrong with this private operator at this point, but I've got real concerns with school kids being left alone on the side of the road with buses not turning up. That's a real problem."

Keolis Downer is already facing a lot of criticism across the board for their treatment of their drivers by underpaying them, not directly paying payments to superannuation and private healthcare, and also not handing over complete uniforms.

"It's up to this government to pull them into line, they've got a contract with them and there are rewards for increasing patronage, but I want to know if there are any penalties for missing kids, leaving kids on the side of the road and putting their health and safety at risk. That's what I want to know," said Tim Crakanthorp.

He says he'll be raising the issue in Parliament this week.

"I'm calling on Minister Constance to take control of this situation as we've had kids missed for buses for school on numerous occasions. So with over 300 bus services missed this minister really needs to step in ad pull this company into line. It's just not good enough."

Blame game for Newcastle's bus drivers

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Newcastle's transport operator are facing blame from all sides for workers being underpaid and mismanaged.

Transport Minister, Andrew Constance has put operator Keolis Downer on notice after bus drivers were again underpaid this week. They've reportedly failed to pay more than a dozen drivers their correct pay and entitlements.

It comes after more than 70 workers were underpaid last month.

But the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RBTU) are today putting the blame on Andrew Constance saying it's another example of his incompetence. The union is labeling the situation as disgusting and claim from day one workers haven't been paid correctly.

"The Transport Minister is the one who came out and announced privatisation and what a wonderful beast it was going to be and how things would improve and he's obviously given the tender to a company who can't put in place a payroll system that can correctly pay their employees," said President of the Tram and Bus union division of the RTBU David Woollams.

The RBTU have taken the issue to the Fair Work Commission to have a system put in place whereby the workers, once they realise they've been underpaid, can go to Keolis Downer and get the pay rectified.

"Workers shouldn't have to be doing that in the first instance, You can accept you know a couple of dollars here and so forth - but not when we're talking about $500 dollars. Most of us just live from pay to pay," said David Woollmans.

Keolis Downer's CEo Campbell Mason is hitting back at the union, saying they're working to fix the problem before the end of business today.

"It is our highest priority to correct those underpayments, there will be an off-cycle payroll made today to correct those payments but we are very apologetic to our staff and we appreciate how frustrating it is. And it is our highest priority to get the system fixed so we don't have a recurrence of these types of problems," said Campbell Mason.

He isn't passing any blame onto the Transport Minister.

"The Minister has made clear it is for us, Keolis Downer, to fix this problem and he's right it is our payroll and its up to us to get it fixed and its our highest priority to get it fixed."

Morale very low among Newcastle's bus drivers

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Transport operator Keolis Downer has only been operating in Newcastle for six weeks and already they're being blamed for mistreating and underpaying their workers.

Morale is reportedly very, very low among Newcastle's bus drivers as they deal with the frustration of allegedly being given incorrect wages, shift penalties and superannuation payments which has left them out of pocket for over a month.

Shadow Minister for the Hunter Kate Washington says the company is also blaming bus drivers for services being cancelled when in most situations it has been the company's fault alone.

"Six weeks in and we've seen 170 services cancelled and those cancellations have been blamed on the drivers. Drivers who aren't being paid for the hours they're working and that's just not on,"

Image showbus.com

"I've heard from at least three different drivers but I understand it is across the workforce and there are systemic problems in the system that Keolis Downer is trying to implement. Morale is very, very low amongst all the drivers, they don't feel like they're being given respect," said Kate Washington.

In a statement, Keolis Downer say there have been no cuts to services across Newcastle's public transport but they have had a lot of drivers unable to work due to the terrible flu season.

They say they are in the process of recruiting more drivers to make up for those unable to work and even though it's inconvenient for customers, they'd rather them be healthy and safe and not catch the flu from sick drivers.

Already they've welcomed eight new drivers to their Newcastle fleet in the past week.

But Kate Washington wants answers to the claims of mistreatment and she's written to the Transport Minister demanding support.

"It just feels like Newcastle has been the guinea pigs in all of this. And the government now needs to revise and review its plans to further privatise public transport elsewhere, there are plans afoot for Sydney and that needs to stop now."