TOUGHER penalties for illegal protesters have been demanded by a deputy mayor as all overnight passenger trains on the Hunter line are cancelled and another climate activist escapes with a fine.
Blockade Australia members have been attempting to block coal trains entering Newcastle port by suspending themselves from railway bridges or climbing on carriages at least daily since June 25.
Maitland deputy mayor Mitchell Griffin has called on the state government to introduce stronger consequences for illegal protesters who enter the rail corridor.
"This behaviour by protesters has placed themselves, police staff, railway employees and commuters in danger," he said.
"Our hard-working residents have the right to get to work and home again unimpeded.
"At the moment, they are delayed from their job, and from spending time with their families all because of a small number of people doing the wrong thing."
Cr Griffin said there needed to be stronger consequences to stop what he believes has turned into a frustrating "catch and release" legal system.
"Police have more important situations to attend to but regularly are called away to attend to these people," he said.
"I am not against legal, peaceful protests. But I am against protests such as we are seeing every day. They are illegal, they are dangerous, and it compromises the safe travel of thousands of commuters."
On Thursday, Andrew James Turnbull, 67, was fined $1300 in Singleton Local Court but escaped convictions after police were called just before 8pm the night before to reports he was obstructing trains.
More than 20 people have been arrested during Blockade Australia action in the past week-and-a-half.
Many have been fined about $750 and received non-convictions or good behaviour orders in Hunter courts. Several remain before the courts and subject to bail conditions.
Police have stood up Strike Force Tuohy and have deployed additional resources to the area.
The protest activity has caused significant disruptions to the railway network in Newcastle and the Hunter, including passenger services.
Transport for NSW confirmed all overnight trains on the Hunter line would be suspended for the rest of the week due to the ongoing protest activity.
From 5.30pm on Wednesday, July 3, until it was safe to reopen the line on Thursday morning, buses replaced passenger services between Newcastle Interchange, Dungog and Scone.
"This will continue each night this week until risk assessments confirm it's safe to run trains," a Transport for NSW spokesperson said.
"This will impact passengers travelling on all intercity services and some XPT services, which will still run but to reduced speeds through the impacted area.
Passengers were advised to allow extra travel time and take alternative transport options where available, with Transport for NSW attempting to organise replacement buses on Thursday afternoon.
