REDFERN: Since the parliamentary debate in August last year regarding the lack of accessibility at Redfern station, and a petition of over 11,000 signatures, the NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan has been released. It recognises that an upgrade at Redfern is needed but sees it as only a medium-term priority, which optimistically means we could be waiting another five to 10 years for any work to begin at the station.
The first phase of the campaign has been very successful in getting the issue on the agenda and now Lift Redfern is planning the next steps. Anybody who uses or can’t use Redfern station would agree that a minimum five-year timeframe is too long to wait to see lifts installed. The community has already been waiting over 20 years.
The second phase of the campaign will push for lifts to be installed immediately on platforms 11 and 12 under the Transport Access Program as an interim measure to relieve some of the pressure for people travelling via Redfern station. However, our ultimate objective remains: to see a full upgrade of the station with lifts on every platform. The NSW government will be lobbied to get a definite timeframe as to when our community can expect work to commence.
From the very beginning we have been very clear in asking the government one thing: make Redfern station accessible now! Mike Shreenan, a Lift Redfern campaign organiser said: “The Redfern community and its surrounding suburbs are incredibly resilient and passionate about this issue and if one thing is for sure, the campaign will not rest until we see some tangible results.”
Virginia Peloe, local resident and volunteer, encourages others to join the campaign: “There are many new and creative strategies in the pipeline for this exciting second phase of the campaign to make the NSW government take note that the Lift Redfern campaign is not over.”
