NSW Labor will commit $1 billion fund to upgrade train stations, including providing lift access for Lewisham Station.
The current scheme in place to earmark stations for upgrade, the Transport Access Program, has been subject to the political whims of the Berejiklian Government and the money is not going to where it is needed.
A list of 100 priority projects was created in 2013 but since then only five have had lifts installed.
In June, the Innovation and Better Regulation Minister Matt Kean was caught on video confessing to constituents that “skullduggery and manoeuvring” led to Hawkesbury River Station being bumped as many as 150 places up the list.
Labor’s public transport announcement comes as new documents reveal that half of the top 30 train stations in need of upgrades have been deferred by the Liberal Government.
The documents obtained by Labor under Freedom of Information laws reveal the ranking of railway stations in need of an upgrade on the Sydney Trains Network.
It shows that 14 of the top 30 stations in need of a disability upgrade have been deferred.
|
Deferred Station |
Electorate |
|
Petersham Station |
Newtown |
|
Waitara Station |
Ku-Ring-Gai |
|
Stanmore Station |
Newtown |
|
Canley Vale Station |
Cabramatta |
|
Lewisham Station |
Summer Hill |
|
Banksia Station |
Rockdale |
|
Wollstonecraft Station |
North Shore |
|
Erskineville Station |
Newtown |
|
St Peters Station |
Heffron/Newtown |
|
Bexley North Station |
Kogarah |
|
Killara Station |
Ku-Ring-Gai |
|
Chester Hill Station |
Bankstown |
|
Doonside Station |
Blacktown |
|
Pymble Station |
Ku-Ring-Gai |
Mr Foley was joined by the Member for Summer Hill Jo Haylen at Lewisham Station. Labor is committed to installing lifts at Lewisham if elected to govern in March.
Quotes attributable to NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley
“It’s vital to continue to roll out train station upgrades and commuter car parks to encourage public transport use.
“Public transport should be accessible to all NSW residents.
“The Berejiklian Government’s blatant skulduggery has resulted in stations in much need of upgrades being ignored.
“Labor will commit $1 billion to complete these necessary upgrades and allow access for all train commuters.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Summer Hill Jo Haylen
“The Transport Access Program shouldn’t fall to the whims of the Liberal Government.
“I’m proud that a Labor government will stop playing politics, treat all inner west residents with respect and install lifts here at Lewisham train station.”