THREE bus routes in east Lake Macquarie will be cut back to two-hour service intervals on weekends under changes planned for the Newcastle network, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union says.
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The cuts to routes 41, 43 and 48 come as part of an expansion of the operating zone for on-demand buses to include Belmont, Redhead and Valentine.
The existing zone, which incorporates an area from Charlestown to Dudley, Eleebana and Bennetts Green, will double in size.
Keolis Downer confirmed the expansion on Monday after the union and Hunter Labor MPs slammed the planned changes, which come into effect on June 30.
The private operator of the city's bus network said new timetables and an information campaign would be launched on June 16.
"There will be no changes to routes or operating hours, but the timing of services will change," Keolis Downer director corporate affairs Andrew Flecther said.
"The on-demand trial in parts of Lake Macquarie has enjoyed consistent month-on-month growth in customer numbers. Our customers love the service and positive word-of-mouth is attracting more people to public transport in the area generally.
"Whether it's getting to an appointment at Belmont, meeting a friend for coffee at Warners Bay, or a lift home from Charlestown Square ... on-demand vehicles can pick you up and drop you off anywhere within the service area."
The RTBU's Daniel Jaggers said the changes would most impact those who relied on the fixed-route buses for weekend travel in the area.
"These service cuts will impact areas like Redhead, Dudley, Valentine, Windale and Gateshead - all of which have large numbers of elderly and young passengers who depend on these services to go about their daily life," he said.
"Services to these areas were dramatically cut when Keolis Downer first introduced its new network after the NSW government handed it the bus contract for the region.
"These residents are now going to suffer again."
Mr Jaggers said the service cuts to the three routes had been designed to stimulate use of on-demand buses.
"The reduction of these services to deliberately create a public transport black spot, to be then filled by the introduction of two on-demand buses, or 'premium bus services', is not good enough," he said.
"It shows a complete lack of respect for the travelling public transport users of Newcastle and no understanding whatsoever of what public transport is supposed to be.
"On-demand buses will expand in this large area from two to four, but this will in no way be adequate to cover the loss of the current hourly services."
An on-demand bus trip costs $3 for adults and $1.50 for concessions.
But unlike fixed-route buses, discounts do not apply if a customer transfers onto a fixed-route service to continue their journey.
Charlestown MP Jodie Harrison and Swansea MP Yasmin Catley said on-demand buses were being rolled out at the expense of key fixed-route services.
They said the changes did not address concerns previously raised by the community.
"For 18 months, my constituents have endured longer journey times, poorer connectivity and cuts to services - now they are facing reduced operating hours on weekends," Ms Harrison said.
