Newcastle Council says local commuters deserve a faster train connection to Sydney.

Councillors last night voted to write to the New South Wales transport department, urging it to consider adding two hour express train services between the local government area and Sydney’s CBD.

Councillor Stephanie Posniak says demographer Bernard Salt’s research shows over a five-year period there has been a 53 per cent increase in people commuting between the two cities.

She says the faster service should be included in the next edition of the intercity timetable.

“The current service, the fastest train is two hours and 35 minutes, which is in fact slower than we had 100 years ago,” she said.

“There is a need for people to come to Newcastle on business and to go to Sydney for recreation and business.

“There’s already a train which they laughingly call “The Flyer” that’s always packed.”