The Greens and Labor councillors put aside their grievances over the state government’s decision to remove the heavy rail line in the CBD, backing a long-term plan to integrate various modes of transport across the city. 

At Tuesday night’s council meeting Nuatali Nelmes tabled a lord mayor minute calling for united support for future transport plans across the city. 

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of creating a Hunter Transport Authority that would support the expansion of a light rail network to extend to the University of Newcastle Callaghan campus, John Hunter Hospital, Hunter Stadium and Newcastle Airport. 

The council will also seek to establish a memorandum of understanding with Transport for NSW, acknowledging the council’s role in land-use planning and transport planning.

It also plans to collaborate with Transport for NSW to establish an integrated transport management plan based on community feedback about preferred routes.

‘‘I acknowledge it won’t happen overnight,’’ Cr Nelmes said.

‘‘But I believe some of the problems we see at the moment are more to do with the absence of long-term plans.’’ 

Council’s support for a long-term plan comes just days after the state government revealed its intentions to buy the old Store building and expand its plans for the Wickham Interchange. 

The state government also appears to have gained enough support in the upper house to remove the heavy rail line legally with an Act of Parliament. 

Update

LESS than 24 hours after voting in favour of extending Newcastle’s light rail plans, Greens councillor Therese Doyle has lashed out lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes. 

She said there was widespread concern in thecommunity over the passing of a resolution without explicitly stating that the council supports the retention of the rail corridor and intercity rail services to Newcastle Station.

‘‘I want to make it very clear that the Greens support for the light rail extension and the establishment of a Hunter Transport Authority occurred on the understanding that council would go on to make a separate statement of support for retaining the rail,’’ she said.

‘‘It is regrettable that the agreement I thought I had with Lord Mayor Nelmes to bring on a subsequent motion was then rejected by the Lord Mayor as not being urgent.

‘‘The people of Newcastle have not given up on the rail and it is urgently important that council sends a strong message to the NSW Upper House that the community want to retain the rail line.’’