Rick Banyard is one of the many Hunter residents to contact the Mercury recently out of concern about the plan to remove the heavy rail line between Wickham and Newcastle stations.

“It is time for Robyn Parker to get aboard and start spruiking the benefits of the rail line direct to Newcastle station, just like she did before the last election,” he said.

Mr Banyard wrote that the heavy rail system served the community well and could transport passengers to locations outside the region, which the proposed light rail replacement could not.

“The Hunter rail vehicles are self-powered, high-floor, high-speed, heavy-duty versions of light rail,” he wrote. 

“The Hunter rail vehicles have a high ratio of seating and toilets, unlike the toy train replacements proposed by the government. 

“Our rail has a very strong record of reliability and very few crashes, which is a strong contrast with the Sydney and Gold Coast toy trains.”

The government will begin work to remove the rail line on Boxing Day.

Commuters will have to catch a bus from Broadmeadow to reach the CBD until the proposed Wickham Transport interchange is built and light rail is constructed.