NSW Parliament will debate the issue of Blue Mountains railway accessibility in coming weeks, when the Member for Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle MP, tables a petition of more than 10,000 signatures in support of accessibility upgrades at Woodford Station.
The Woodford Railway Access Action Group (WRAAG) have been campaigning for more than 12 months to see accessibility upgrades at their local station.
Under the Commonwealth's Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport Guidelines (2004), Sydney Trains needs to have provided wheelchair access to 245 stations by 2017.
About 40 per cent of the 307 stations on the CityRail network, which includes the Blue Mountains, have ramps or lifts for the disabled.
“This is the culmination of over a year’s effort and advocacy by local residents,” Ms Doyle said. “I congratulate the WRAAG team for their commitment to equity and fairness on behalf of their fellow residents.
“Nothing is more basic than the right of elderly, disabled or infirm people to access public transport services.
“Currently, there isn’t an accessible train station between Katoomba and Springwood – a distance by road greater than Circular Quay to Westmead – this affects thousands of people.”
While earlier petitions of up to 2000 signatures submitted to the Parliament by WRAAG have been brushed off by the Minister, the 10,000 signature milestone guarantees that a formal debate will occur on the floor of Parliament.
The debate in favour of an access upgrade at Woodford Station will be led by Trish Doyle on behalf of Woodford residents and the broader Mid-Mountains community.
“The Mid Mountains needs urgent public transport infrastructure investment – communities like Woodford have waited long enough,” Ms Doyle said.
The MP has raised the issue of transport accessibility in Macquarie Street on a number of occasions, with Government members recently attempting to gag her rebuttal of a Government Whip’s attempt to use the Parliament to congratulate the Baird Government for upgrading a train station in the safe Liberal electorate of Oatley.