Push to improve Upper Mountains train services

Feb. 20, 2013, midnight

Jo Davies of Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre interviews local resident Kay Bazley about train services.

Upper Mountains organisations have banded together to campaign for better trains services west of Katoomba.

“Currently there is a more than two hour gap between trains west of Katoomba during weekdays,” said Suzan Mehmet, a project worker with Getting Around In Community Project (GAIC).

Together with the Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre (BANC), GAIC is conducting a train timetable survey to get the community’s views on local services.

BANC Manager Judy Finch commutes to Blackheath each day for work.

“I am fully behind improvements to the regularity of trains between Katoomba and the Upper Mountains as it is virtually impossible for me to use the train to get to work. The two-hour break between trains during the day makes it very difficult to also attend work activities outside Blackheath village,” she said.

“Access to public transport affects the ability of residents to get around, whether it is to commute to work, study, access medical facilities, shopping and socialising with family and friends,” said GAIC project worker, Suzan Mehmet.

“An hourly service to Lithgow would allow people to access services they need and make it more convenient for people to travel sustainably and catch public transport,” she said.

“Blackheath needs an hourly train service between Sydney and Lithgow,” said Michael Paag, a local resident, daily train commuter and President of the Blackheath Highway Action Group.

“Waiting more than two hours for a train during the day is not good enough, the hourly service between Sydney and Katoomba needs to be extended to include the upper Blue Mountains and Lithgow,” he said.