A Hazelbrook community group has cautiously welcomed a state government decision to provide disabled access at their railway station.
Last week, the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced this year’s budget will include a further $133 million for the Transport Access Program.
At least 11 more train stations, including Hazelbrook, will now receive upgrades such as new lifts, ramps and footbridges.
John Crichton, the secretary of the Hazelbrook Association, was “cautiously optimistic” about the news, which will ultimately mean a new lift and lighting for the station.
“While it is comforting to note the Premier's announcement … there has been no firm commencement date announced for the works.
“With an election to take place in March 2019, we'd like to see a more concrete construction date in the next few months.”
Fellow members agreed the commitment was for “just costings” on the project, but they had recently witnessed Transport for NSW officials scoping the station with measuring tapes.
Treasurer Greg Birtles said the Association has been on a letter writing campaign for many years.
“We don’t know what prompted it [this decision],” another member, Wendy Bugeja, said. “Maybe it was all the letters.”
Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle called it a “big win for community activists and residents” and had “come off the back of many years of community campaigning by locals in the Mid Mountains”.
“Alongside them, I have been calling for an access upgrade for the Mid Mountains since 2014 and I am pleased to see that the government has finally seen the merits of this proposal.”
A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said “preliminary investigations will be undertaken” to see what upgrades were needed at Hazelbrook.
“This may include installation of a new lift and other accessibility improvements subject to detailed design. Once a concept design has been finalised consultation will be undertaken.”
Mr Crichton said he realised the decision would be disappointing to some other Mountains residents expecting disabled access at their stations.
“It’s clearly a government plan to get a lift at every station, but we will be dead by then and Hazelbrook is the most logical [next station].”
The premier said the government was committed to making public transport accessible for customers with a disability, mobility issues or using a pram.
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Andrew Constance, said 173 of the 307 stations on the networks were now accessible.
