Blacktown City Council - Media Statement - Two Decades Of Cries For A Lift Is “Unfair”

MEDIA STATEMENT

13 July, 2018

Blacktown City Mayor Stephen Bali MP says the NSW State government’s failure to recognise the desperate need for a lift at Doonside railway station is cruel.

“Cries for a lift at Doonside railway station have been heard for more than two decades and every year the government has failed to bring this vital piece of infrastructure to the community,” Mayor Bali said.

“We have heard some very sad stories of people using the out-dated ramp and falling off wheel chairs coming down the ramp and, in one case, having a heart-attack while trying to walk up the ramp.”

Last week Mayor Bali sent official invites to NSW Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Andrew Constance to a community forum on Monday, 30 July.

Council has not received confirmation that the ministers will face the Doonside community at the forum.

“We are giving them the opportunity to meet with this community, the same people who are screaming for a lift.”

“The Government has already omitted this lift in the 2018 Budget, they have ignored the community’s desperate cries for over twenty years, now let’s see if they will give us the cold shoulder again by not facing this community face-to-face,” Mayor Bali said.

Blacktown City Council has been in touch with the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Andrew Constance, on numerous occasions, including in 2015, when an official response from Minister Constance indicated Doonside station would be considered for funding.

Reports on the NSW Government’s 2018 Budget revealed 11 more stations will receive upgrades, and there were further progression of four stations.

Again Doonside was not on the Government’s list.

Forum details: Doonside Community Forum starts at 7pm on Monday, 30 July 7pm, The Doonside Community Centre, 31 Graham Street, Doonside.

The lack of a lift means that Jackie Roach is no longer able to access Doonside station.

Blacktown City Council - Media Release - Daily Struggle For Doonside Without A Lift

MEDIA RELEASE

15 June, 2018

Blacktown City Mayor Stephen Bali MP says the cold shoulder towards Doonside residents is a “social injustice” to the community.

Reports on the NSW Government’s 2018 Budget revealed 11 more stations will receive upgrades, and there will be further progression of four stations.

Again Doonside was not on the list.

“It is heart breaking to see people struggle every day to get about their daily routine because the station cuts this suburb in half.

“The absence of a lift is a social injustice to the many people who need it,” Mayor Bali said.

“Not only does the lack of a lift limit resident’s access to the train and ability to commute to work, school and university, it also means that parents with prams, people with mobility issues and seniors can’t even walk from one side of the suburb to the other.”

Twenty-one year old Bradley Seymour knows all about the struggle to commute without a lift at Doonside railway station. He uses an electric wheel chair.

“If I need to get a train I have to take a bus from Doonside to Blacktown. This adds more time and stress to the journey every day.

“Sometimes the lifts at Blacktown don’t work and I have to call my parents or someone to come fetch me. It’s frustrating and limits what I can do,” he said.

Mr Seymour’s father, Jason Walsh said the family has lived in Doonside for over 14 years. “Everyone is waiting for a lift at this station, and every year it gets ignored.

“I really can’t believe it’s not on the list again!”

Mayor Bali said: “According to the 2016 census data, 16.4% of the Doonside population are over 60 years old.

“Not only do they need convenient access to a railway station, they need to be able to move freely from one side of their suburb to another. They need access to medical centres and shops.”

Mark Hartley, whose family has lived in the area since the 1980’s, said that members of his family have faced unnecessary difficulties because of the lack of a lift at Doonside railway station.

“Now that I have to use a walking stick, I find it very difficult at Doonside station. This lift has been spoken about for such a long time.”

“It makes the community very angry that the lift is still not on the list. Every year we wait and it’s not on the list,” he said.

Mayor Bali said: “Currently the only way people can get across the suburb is by walking up the ramp, across the foot bridge and down the other side. If they want to use the platform, then they have to use the stairs.”

“It is shameful.”

“Clearly residents in Doonside are being discriminated against as they have been for over two decades.”

Mayor Bali and local residents have been campaigning for over two decades to have a passenger lift installed at the 137 year old station.

More than 2,000 people a day use the station, and the growth of nearby Bungarribee has added extra pressure to the station, he said.

“This decision comes despite Census figures showing Doonside has more elderly and disabled residents than many stations in Sydney that already have lifts.

“I said this last year that the planning and the design work for the upgrade was completed in 2011 and only a lack of commitment and funding has stopped the project from going ahead.”

Blacktown City Council - Media Release - Doonside Station Ignored Again By NSW Government In 2018 Budget

MEDIA RELEASE

8 June 2018

Community cries for lifts at Doonside train stations have been ignored again in the NSW Government’s 2018 budget.

Blacktown City Mayor Stephen Bali MP said: “It was a slap in the face for our constituents this week when the State Government announced that 11 more stations will receive upgrades, but Doonside station is not on the list.”

“Council and residents have been campaigning for more than two decades for lifts at Doonside. All we got was a token lick of paint and a facelift at the station last year.

“At the time I said Doonie needs a lift, not a facelift. It needs reconstructive surgery! One year later, and clearly the people who rely on these railway stations are being shafted again,” said Mayor Bali.

This week, Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance announced that the NSW Budget 2018 will include a further $133 million in the next financial year for the Transport Access Program.

The funding will provide for accessibility upgrades at North Strathfield, Kingswood, Hazelbrook, Wyee, Blayney, Mittagong, Clarendon, Hawkesbury River, Wahroonga, Taree, Roseville and further progression of Glenbrook, Beecroft, Millthorpe and Como stations.

“Doonside station is once again being ignored in favour of the North Shore and Inner West, yet Blacktown City is one of the fastest growing Council areas in NSW.

“Unfortunately the Berejiklian government has chosen yet again to ignore the elderly, mothers with prams and people with a disability in Doonside.”

“According to the most recent Census, 6.4 per cent of Doonside’s population needs help in their daily lives because of a disability.”

“It’s time we ramp up the ante and lobby Premier Gladys Berejiklian to put our lifts on the list.”

“Council is hosting a community forum in Doonside next month and I invite Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance to come and hear directly from our residents how they struggle to get to school and work every day without a lift at these stations.”

Click here Blacktown City Council - Public Transport Forum 41

Click here for previous post from 'whyilovemountdruitt' Blogspot

De-Express Trains In Mount Druitt Are Not Real Express Trains Servcices - New Train Times Tables

Mount Druitt Sydney Trains commuters are gobsmacked / disgruntled with the added extra train station stations on the express trains services based on the released new train time table services of 26th November 2017, stopping in Mount Druitt.

New time tables of 26/11/2017 have added 3 extra trainon the the express journey: Rooty Hill, Doonside and Seven Hills, in early morning train peak services. This adds approximately 8 to 10 minutes on the previous time tables per service.

So, if commuters are catching trains from Mount Druitt 10 times a week (which includes return to home services), then at least an extra 80 to 100 minutes is added to travelling times of Mount Druitt commuters, per week.

What I have noticed that over the last 27 years, the NSW Government has added train stations with new time tables over this of this period of time. made the spread train at Mount Druitt to a Non-express train service. You can't fool me. Soon, we will end up with no express train services.

When I first caught express train services from Mount Druitt first stop  to City was Redfern and from Redfern was Mount Druitt. Now that is what I call 'Express Train Service.' Then a few years later Blacktown was added in. Following that, was Parramatta then Strathfield was added in later, and now 3 trains stations added on: Seven Hills, Doonside and Rooty Hill*.

We recently has a Blacktown City Council Public Transport Forum and NSW transport attended the meeting. They discussed about improvements and projects up and running but they do not discuss time tables and the affects or improvements of it. Maybe if  they could speak to our forum and explain the  change of time tables - we would be in a better stance to

I don't know why Transport NSW doesn't consult with the people living in the area of changes or is Members of Parliament, represent ing us as constituents, before introducing  these time tables and saying, 'like it or live it' attitude  The major Stations on this T1 Western line out West of Sydney are Penrith, St Marys, Mount Druitt, Blacktown.

I ask all  NSW State Members  to ask  the NSW Parliament on demand and ask why are Express trains Services becoming De-Express Train Services in Mount Druitt.

* Please note whilst I am discussing what has happened with  Express train services with the three new train stations added on, I am not unhappy they have been added on. It is because they have been added an Express Service to make it De-Express Service.

There is a solution and I will ask to refer to next post for the solution.

Rooty Hill Train Station - Lifts Upgrade The Political Field

One major political issue that came out from the Community Forum on 'Meet The Candidates for State Seat of Mount Druitt' , held on the 5th March 2015, by the Mount Druitt- St Marys Standard on the public transport in relation to all candidates is the
Rooty Hill train station upgrade of Lifts. There was a 100% passion for this improvement from the candidates of all Parties: Liberals,  Labor, Greens and Christian Democrats. Maybe Australian Government could have taken notice to a universal decision at the forum.

Click here for 'Meet The Candidates' for State Seat Of Mount Druitt

A lot of people, who know myself know that if something  is wanted and needed by all, I will study, research history public  to be self-educated and I am not scared  to publicise, to our local community and the wider world a better understanding of how and where we are on the political field, on this issue.

Click here: NSW Transport Minister, John Robertson - Doonside 23/7/2010 Letter (located in Google)

The important fact here is the second last paragraph, 'I am advised that Doonside Station is not presently considered a priority for an Easy Access upgrade. Blacktown and Mount Druitt stations are accessible stations on the Western line in close proximity to Doonside.'

In between Blacktown and Mount Druitt train stations there is 'Rooty Hill' and my gut feeling if Mr. Richard Amery. NSW Member of Mount Druitt did get a letter of response for the lifts upgrade at Rooty with the then Minister, my strong guess is the same paragraph would be used but the first suburb mentioned would be Rooty Hill and the last one Mount Druitt. That is, if he wrote to him then.

One of the first times I received advice from Mr. Richard Amery, about Rooty Hill upgrade of Lifts was a 'Press Release' sent to myself  on  20th December 2011:
Click here: Richard Amery's Press Release on Request For Rooty Hill Lifts Upgrade 20/12/2011

And then located in NSW Parliament in Hansard:
NSW Parliament: Richard Amery Private Members Statement Rooty Hill Train Station - 14/3/2013 

We also had Federal Member for Chifley, Mr. Ed Husic who has  been backing State Members of Mount Druitt and Blacktown and their constituents for upgrade of lifts at Doonside and Rooty Hill train station, an online poll. So far 35 agree to it:
Ed Husic's Online Petition For Rooty Hill Lifts Upgrade 35 so far! 



Sydney Trains confirming Rooty Hill train station is not wheelchair accessible

A great article from the St Marys - Mount Druitt Star getting more feedback from Richard Amery regarding upgrades required at Rooty Hill and community members:
St Marys -Mount Druitt Star 20/3/2015 


Previous Blog On Rooty Hill Train Station Lifts Upgrade

Now, this is from information researched and provided to myself from politicians. If there has been some advocating by Richard Amery, before 20th December 2011, he may have been doing from his heart but I just could not find it in my research. Maybe Mr. Amery can point myself in the right direction, before he retires.