IN response to your correspondent’s letter (‘‘Don’t snub Fassifern now Morisset has interchange,’’ Lakes Mail, July 19) on the matter of Morisset Station becoming a CountryLink stop, I have no objection to the Fassifern stop being retained.
Local residents put forward the proposal for the service to stop at Morisset which, on consideration, provides a number of inarguable benefits for travellers including: location on State Route 133; close proximity to the F3; heightened security resulting from its central location and level of patronage; serviced by buses from Belmont and Cessnock, and; adjacent to shops and cafes.
I appreciate the benefits provided by Fassifern Station, however it has a number of disadvantages such as its relative isolation and resultant security problems, lack of services, limited bus/waiting areas and bus access.
Whilst I believe Morisset is best placed to do this and will become increasingly so with population growth, I am pleased to support Fassifern’s retention as an additional stop and have advised the Minister of Transport accordingly.
– Greg Piper, member for Lake Macquarie