B737 Next Generation Undifferentiated
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 174; Flight Crew Total 18796; Flight Crew Type 3333
Situational Awareness
Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
Shortly after being handed off to NYC Approach near the SWEET Intersection going into EWR; ATC cleared us from 7;000 feet to 6;000 feet on a heading of 110. Once the descent began; ATC issued a traffic alert for an aircraft climbing through 5;000 feet on a southwest heading towards us that he was not talking to. I acknowledged the traffic; picked them up visually and stated we may get an alert on this traffic.My FO (First Officer) put his hands on the controls in preparation for flying manually. I then noticed the TCAS target climbing through about 5;300 feet; and within seconds we received a Climb RA. The FO manually took control of the airplane and complied with the RA.After a few blocked transmissions; we were able to advise ATC. Approach then issued a turn to 190 as we leveled around 6;300-6;400 feet. Once cleared of the conflict; we returned to 6;000 feet. The remainder of the approach was uneventful and the were no issues with our cabin crew who were performing their final cabin checks. Our altitudes were about 500-600 feet apart and the lateral distance appeared to be a similar distance.Regarding the conflicting traffic; it was a low wing; single engine general aviation aircraft; possibly a Cirrus aircraft. The conflict occurred precisely at the 20 mile DME ring of the Class B Airspace; and the aircraft was climbing as well as turning southbound at the western edge of the Class B.
B737 Captain reported taking evasive action after receiving an RA from a light aircraft on descent into EWR.