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Hornery, Sonia to the
Minister for Health, and Minister for Medical Research
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What are you as Minister for Health doing to help alleviate traffic
congestion in the short term since the removal of the John Hunter Hospital park
and ride shuttle bus and the closure of the Wallsend After Hours Medical
Service which has meant that workers and visitors have been subjected to delays
exceeding 60 minutes when trying to exit the Hospital road network during peak
periods?
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Answer -
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I am advised that reintroducing the shuttle bus at John Hunter Hospital
Campus would further increase traffic congestion. Over capacity will be
resolved by the completion of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass, which will
create a third access point. The District continues to improve access to the
campus. Strategies implemented to improve access include:
- $10-million investment in an additional 740 car parks on the hospital
campus.
- Secured a north and south hospital interchange for the future Newcastle
Inner City Bypass. This will have the single biggest impact on relieving
congestion around the hospital.
- Investing up to $4-million towards upgrading the internal road network on
the hospital campus. This will include trialling two-way traffic flow on the
internal road in front of the main car park. The road is currently one-way.
This commenced in August 2018.
- Negotiated with the new private operator of the Newcastle public bus
service to increase the public bus routes and frequency to the campus. At peak
times, the bus services are at 10-minute intervals.
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Question asked on 15 November 2018 (session 56-1)
and printed in
Questions & Answers Paper No. 214
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Answer received on 18 December 2018
and printed in
Questions & Answers Paper No. 218
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