LAKE Macquarie and Maitland residents will be the biggest losers if plans to cut Newcastle's rail line are followed through, a council meeting heard last week.
At last week's Lake Macquarie City Council meeting, councillor Rosmairi Okeno requested that the council reiterate its position from August 2011 to the state government.
Ms Okeno said cutting the rail line would increase traffic on the roads and add to Newcastle's traffic and parking problems.
She said the state government had not properly calculated the amount of buses needed to replace the trains if more apartment dwellers moved into Newcastle's CBD, while more cars on the roads would only add to the Hunter's pollution problems.
Councillor Laurie Coghlan said it was "narrow minded" for the state government to cut the rail line.
He said the rest of the Hunter was not taken into account when the decision was made.
Cr Coghlan said the council needed to show that it had "more grunt" and tell the NSW Premier that while Newcastle might accept it, the rest of the Hunter would not.
Councillor Jason Pauling said he did not believe the rail cut would have a negative impact on Newcastle buses or residents.
Councillors voted to write to Premier Barry O'Farrell to oppose the state government's plans to cut the rail line in Newcastle.
They said replacing the rail with buses was not adequate, and a sustainable option, such as light rail, was the best option.