A directions hearing will be held in Sydney this morning after government agency Hunter Development Corporation launched an appeal against the court’s ruling in December that the state government needed an act of parliament to remove the rail infrastructure, which it did not have.

Save Our Rail Maitland branch president Kim Cross told the Mercury that no evidence would be considered at today’s directions hearing, which was designed to determine whether a full hearing should take place and when it should begin.

She said that she believed a hearing would be scheduled to begin later this year.

The government began work to remove transport infrastructure in the rail corridor on Boxing Day, despite the court’s ruling.

While the train line has not been removed, parts of it have been covered with road base or grass to provide crossings for vehicles and pedestrians along the disused part of the rail corridor.

If HDC loses its appeal and an act of parliament is not forthcoming, the infrastructure will have to be restored.