In a submission to the Newcastle Urban Renewal Strategy, the group argued there was no evidence that the line would hinder the creation of the vibrant city the government had in mind.

President Joan Dawson said the popularity of shopping centres like Westfield Kotara and Charlestown Square, along with the closure of the Royal Newcastle Hospital in the CBD, were the reasons the precinct had failed over the years – not the existence of the railway line.

She said the success of the redevelopment depended on the retention of the rail line. 

“The service has mass transit capacity and it is an intercity service that connects Newcastle with Maitland, Sydney, Lake Macquarie and the Central Coast,” she said. 

“To suggest it can be replaced by a bus service down Hunter Street is ludicrous.

“How are they going to reduce private vehicle use and prioritise a range of ­transport modes without the rail line?”

Ms Dawson said the proposed transport system would never be seamless and the government must reveal what studies it had conducted to determine commuter time into the CBD if the line ended at Wickham.

“Our estimates show it would take ­people an extra 20 to 30 minutes and there is no way people are going to opt for that over a car,” she said.

She said the government’s concern that the rail line divided the city could easily be overcome with careful planning by installing more pedestrian level crossings between Wickham and Civic stations or non-level crossings between Hamilton and Newcastle.