If the state government observed its own policy for the provision of accessible facilities on public transport infrastructure, Macquarie Fields station would have a lift by now.
The policy has a fancy name, Disability Standard for Public Transport, but it hasn’t helped Macquarie Fields make the cut so far.
This policy is supposed to ensure all public transport infrastructure complies with it by December 2022 but it’s not a deadline that will be met.
The government admitted as much last year in a ministerial answer to a question from Macquarie Fields MP Anoulack Chanthivong about disability standards at the station.
“Transport for NSW acknowledges it will not achieve the compliance targets as set out by the Disability Standard for Public Transport, which includes the deadline, December 2022, for all transport infrastructure to be compliant,” was the ministerial response.
Now the federal Labor MP for the area, Anne Stanley, has entered the fray, calling on the NSW Liberal Government to abide by their own disability standards and build a lift for commuters at Macquarie Fields Station.
The member for Werriwa, pictured, has written a letter to NSW Minister for Transport, Andrew Constance MP, requesting the lift be built as a priority to meet the minister’s own disability standards.
“I find it disgraceful that there are 13,000 residents served by this train station, and by the department’s admissions, the station will not meet the Disability Standard for Public Transport by the deadline of December 2022,’’ Ms Stanley said.
“The NSW Liberal Government has these standards for a reason.
“Without the minister intervening, commuters who are less mobile, pregnant, travelling with children or have other access requirements will continue to struggle.
In the letter to the minister, Ms Stanley pointed out that since being elected in 2016, she has received overwhelming feedback from residents about the lack of accessibility at Macquarie Fields.
“I’ve received numerous complaints from the elderly, disabled, mothers and others with access needs who are forced to use taxis to travel to neighbouring stations.
“Once again, the people of South Western Sydney are being ignored by the NSW Liberal Government.
“The minister needs to urgently step in and ensure that people who have access needs can use public transport,” she said.
