The announcement marks the start of the delivery of one of the requests made by Lift Redfern which collected over 11,500 signatures in 2012 to get access at Redfern station debated in the NSW parliament. A subsequent online petition asked for one lift as an interim measure to allow at least some easy access even if that involved people changing lines using lifts at Central to access the Redfern lift.
“At the moment it is virtually impossible for people in wheelchairs to access trains at Redfern, and extremely difficult for parents with prams and the elderly, so this is a good start to ensure all customers can access the network at Redfern,” the Minister said.
The petition also asked for the Minister to announce a commitment for the Redfern station upgrade with a clear and definitive timeframe for its completion. On this the Minister’s statement only said: “Redfern is a large station with many challenges – there is considerable planning work being undertaken at the moment which involves examining the future of this important precinct and the rail corridor – however, lift access to Redfern is a pressing issue and that is why we are providing a solution.”
The Minister also said work would be undertaken on lighting and fencing around the lift area to ensure it is as safe as possible for customers.
It was also announced that a secure and modern bike cage will be built on Lawson Street, which will provide customers with a safe place to leave their bikes. It is not clear how this is to be achieved given the congestion around the station in Lawson Street.
The project has now been handed to Transport Projects who will begin work on the implementation, including more specific designs and delivery. A construction timetable will be released once that work is completed.
