A lack of
accessibility to transport services reduces the independence of people with
less mobility as well as making it very difficult and unsafe for the elderly
and parents with small children and prams, as well as passengers with luggage.
“Access to
public transport is a basic right. Given that Redfern station is one of the
busiest transport hubs in NSW, more suburban and inter-urban trains stop here
than any other station, with the exception of Central, and 50,000 people use
this station every day. It is appalling that there are no lifts,” said Mehreen
Faruqi, spokesperson for Lift Redfern Station.
Redfern
station already serves a large community, is a vital interchange, has
connectivity to bus stops and provides access for workers, residents, visitors
and students to major facilities, services and universities. With many large
urban renewal
projects proposed for the Redfern-Waterloo area, commuter numbers will only
grow. It seems baffling that no easy access upgrades have been scheduled for
such a significant station. The Lift Redfern Station campaign wants to ensure
that providing equitable access and improving safety at this station becomes
top priority.
In order to
do this, a month of collective community action is going to commence in March,
starting with a launch at Redfern Station on Monday March 19 at 8am. Community
members and commuters are urged to come and support this call for action and
help collect 10,000 signatures for a petition which can then generate debate in
the NSW Parliament to make Redfern station accessible NOW!
If you
would like to follow the campaign for lift access at Redfern Station, or get
involved, go to www.liftredfernstation.wordpress.com
or leave a message on Facebook www.facebook.com/LiftRedfern
Source: South Sydney Herald March 2012 – www.southsydneyherald.com.au