City of Newcastle is looking at innovative ways to improve public transport options and to encourage active travel to create a more pedestrian-friendly city centre.
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A transport service is being trialled, allowing people to book a ride to collect them from a convenient, nearby pick-up point, and take them to a local transport hub or other point of interest in the city.
A bit like Uber for public transport.
It offers a flexible way for commuters to make their journey into the city for work and will reduce the number of cars in the city centre, opening up more car spaces in and around the city for businesses.
The concept uses passenger vehicles and only runs where there is demand. The trial area includes the East End, Civic, Market Town and the Newcastle Interchange, plus Beaumont Street, Broadmeadow Station, Merewether, The Junction, Bar Beach, Hamilton South and The Hill.
The service area has been designed to support public transport use by including key transport nodes such as Newcastle Interchange and Broadmeadow.
The trial will operate in peak hours between 6.30am-9am and 3.30pm-6pm Monday to Friday and is expected to kick off by the end of the year and run for 12 months.
Bookings will be able to be made quickly and simply through an app with journeys expected to cost a flat fare of $3.20.
