The Woodford Railway Access Action Group is pulling out all stops to get improved access to the station.
Earlier this month they met with new Blue Mountains state member Trish Doyle to hand over a petition of 2000 names asking the NSW government for disability access to Woodford station.
Spokesman Ron Bromley, 68, said: "It's high time the government got serious with the appalling lack of disability access to many Blue Mountains railway stations".
Mrs Erzsi Gimes, who handed the petition to Ms Doyle with other members of the group, has had two knee operations and struggles on the steep station stairs and ramp with "tree roots coming out of it", while her husband's multiple sclerosis has left him wheelchair bound.
Mr Bromley said it was not only disabled people affected but others such as young mothers with prams.
"To have the matter debated in Parliament we need 10,000 signatures. Trish had indicated that with each additional 500 signatures we gather, she will table them in Parliament. The number is rapidly rising.
"It is our long term goal to achieve the necessary 10,000 signatures and we are in it for the long haul. We will achieve our target," Mr Bromley said.
Ms Doyle told the Gazette that "given the Woodford village has limited services in the immediate area, it's especially important that these residents be able to get around the Mountains via public transport".
Mr Bromley said it was "unacceptable that citizens of this state cannot access their railway stations because of government apathy".
"They are going to wish they had never heard of us because we will keep upping the stakes, until they cannot ignore the embarrassment they so richly deserve."
Ms Doyle said the petition "compels the minister to respond formally within 35 days. We will continue tabling these signatures until the Woodford community is satisfied with the government's response."
In March this year, the then transport minister Gladys Berejiklian went on record saying the government has a $770 million Transport Access Program to improve the range of public transport for the disabled and elderly and indicated lift priority is decided by an evidence-based approach which looks at patronage, whether hospitals or educational facilities are nearby and accessibility of other nearby transport interchanges.
You can sign the submission at: Ray White Real Estate and the Transit Cafe in Woodford, Hazelbrook newsagency, Blooms Chemist in Springwood, as well as the Cortado Cafe in Lawson and the Mid Mtns Neighbourhood Centre in Lawson.
