Lower Hunter city commissioner Matt Endacott says the state government should run rapid bus services along the future light rail corridor to John Hunter Hospital.
Mr Endacott, who represents the five Lower Hunter councils on the Greater Cities Commission, told the Newcastle Herald on Monday that Transport for NSW should lock in the light rail route from Newcastle West as soon as possible to provide a "spine" for future development.
He said work on the tram extension likely would not start for at least four years, but on Tuesday he said the government should try to embed people's habits by upgrading bus services.
"That will strengthen the link between the hospital and the city," he said.
"It would make complete sense to roll out rapid bus services along the corridor, stopping at future tram stop locations to create the habits and patronage that will make construction feasible."
The most likely future tram corridor is along Tudor Street to Broadmeadow's proposed Hunter Park precinct and the hospital.
The government has announced a review of the six-year-old strategy to redevelop Crown land at Broadmeadow into a sport, entertainment and housing precinct with thousands of new residents.
Mr Endacott said he agreed with the review.
"I'm concerned by a creeping focus among some government agencies on the low-hanging fruit around Broadmeadow," he said.
"I've seen plenty of places delivered with this attitude and none of them are good.
"To my mind there are three options for Broadmeadow: great, good, and bad.
"When we're talking about hundreds of acres smack bang between the city and an $835 million health and innovation precinct, I don't think good is good enough."
Mr Endacott said he supported City of Newcastle's calls for a bus or active transport lane on the Newcastle Inner City Bypass between the hospital and University of Newcastle.
"This is not just a bypass; it's a direct line between two of our finest institutions, one of which also has a railway station," he said.
"I support City of Newcastle's calls for a bus or active transport lane on the bypass.
"I have also written to the Minister for Transport to share my view that Warabrook station should be a future transport interchange, ideally renamed University of Newcastle.
"This would better communicate its usefulness to thousands of students and workers."
The Newcastle Herald reported on Tuesday that the government had asked TfNSW to accelerate identifying the tram corridor "to provide certainty in planning for all stakeholders".
Lawyers acting for TfNSW contacted City of Newcastle last week to express support for the council refusing plans for a seven-storey car park which would interfere with the likely tram route at Newcastle West.
TfNSW did not object to the car park development application when the council rejected it in October.
The developer took the council to the Land and Environment court in May, and the two parties held their first mediation session on Tuesday.
