Accessibility upgrades are being considered for nine railway stations across regional NSW.
Transport for NSW today announced it will begin design and investigation work for the upgrades to make it easier for passengers to move around the state.
The NSW Government has provided funding under the $800 million Safe Accessible Transport (SAT) program to begin preliminary investigations and design development at each of the sites.
The train stations being funded for development include:
- Canberra (operated by TfNSW)
- Kempsey
- Kendall
- Macksville
- Nambucca Heads
- Sawtell
- Urunga
- Wingham
- Yass.
The upgrades aim to make public transport safe, inclusive and easy to use for all passengers but especially for people with disabilities, seniors, people with prams or luggage and others who may be experiencing mobility problems, said Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison.
“This stage of design development will see our teams carrying out survey and geotechnical work to better understand each of the sites and inform development of concept designs,” the Minister said.
“Transport for NSW will also be engaging with key stakeholders, including people with disability, to seek local insights and feedback on indicative designs.
“Public transport is a significant driver of social and economic activity, and accessible transport gives all people the opportunity to participate fully in their community and the economy.
“This is particularly the case in regional NSW where the tyranny of long distances can be terribly isolating for people with mobility issues and families without a car of their own.
“A safe, equitable and integrated transport network means people across the state can travel safely and confidently to work, appointments, holidays, events, and to visit friends and family.”
The Minister said each upgrade is tailored to meet each community and station’s needs and to include accessible ramp access, upgraded facilities including accessible toilet, and tactile ground surface indicators to improve safety for people who are vision impaired.
Improved lighting, CCTV and Wayfinding signage to enhance passenger safety, platform levelling and accessible ‘kiss and ride’ areas for easy pick-ups, and drop-offs for people with mobility issues or using prams and luggage are also being considered.
Planning work at each of these locations is estimated to take about 9 to 12 months to complete.
The Government says early engagement with key stakeholders at each location will start later this year, and more information will be provided to the community at each stage of the process.
Transport for NSW is planning to kick off early engagement through location-specific workshops with local people with disability and their carers to inform development of the concept design, followed by pop-up sessions in each location with the wider community who will be invited to have their say on the proposed works.
The community is invited to sign up to a project distribution list to ensure they’re kept informed about engagement opportunities and as the projects progress.
More information on the Safe Accessible Transport program is available on the Transport for NSW website.
