Mortdale Train Station

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-155778

Hansard session: Fifty-Eighth Parliament, First Session (58-1)

Mortdale Train Station

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (20:39:22):

I inform the House of the longstanding concerns raised by my community regarding the reliability of the lifts at Mortdale train station. Since the railway station received a major boost and was upgraded in 2007, the lifts have been nothing short of a nightmare for commuters and local residents. This matter has been raised with me on several occasions, through phone calls, emails and conversations at mobile offices and listening posts at Mortdale train station. In fact, this has been one of the most frequently raised issues by residents in Mortdale. The problem is the breakdowns. Time and time again, the lifts will be down for hours, days or even sometimes weeks, which leaves many commuters stranded, especially those with mobility issues.

For those of us who are able to get around easier, the stairs might seem like a minor inconvenience. But for many in our community, these lifts are incredibly important to get to appointments, work or even just out and about. The lifts are especially important for people with a disability, senior residents, parents with prams and strollers, and those recovering from a back or neck injury or illness. On many occasions, I have witnessed firsthand young mothers being forced to lug their prams up and down the flights of stairs, which is completely unacceptable. I have also heard stories of individuals having to catch the bus to the next train station or cancel their travel plans entirely when the lift is broken down at Mortdale. Without a functioning lift, those residents are, effectively, cut off from our local public train network. They are forced to rely on others, take costly alternatives or, worse, miss appointments, work or even social engagements altogether. That is not good enough.

I sincerely believe that each and every single resident living in our local area should be able to access public transport safely and independently. The state of the lifts at Mortdale have failed to meet that basic expectation. That is why I have continued to stand alongside our community and demand that action be taken now. I have raised this issue in Parliament, lodged questions on notice and written to Ministers. I have even hosted mobile office visits outside the station and spoken directly to commuters who have experienced the daily frustrations about the lifts at Mortdale train station. Most importantly, I have also advocated for repairs and, ultimately, for a full lift replacement.

Tonight I am pleased to report to the House that our advocacy, alongside the strength of our community's voice, has finally led to results. Refurbishment works are now underway to upgrade all three lifts at Mortdale train station. I even had the pleasure of running into one of the tradies working on the lifts this morning on my way into Parliament. A big thank you goes to Steve and the entire team. This is long overdue, and I know it will come as a great relief to many. My hope for residents is that they no longer have to question whether the lift will be working when they arrive at the station. These local infrastructure improvements might not make headlines in the paper, but they make a world of difference to people in our community. I thank all the residents who have taken the time to contact my office, signed our petitions and shared their stories with me and my team and made their voices heard. I particularly acknowledge the work of community members who have advocated not just for themselves but for others, by writing on behalf of their family, neighbours, friends and clients and pushing Transport for NSW to improve the accessibility of Mortdale station.

The station is a vital link in our public transport network that serves thousands of passengers and connects people to employment, education and health care each and every day. It should never have taken this long to see meaningful action on something that is so essential. Regardless, this outcome shows what can be achieved when communities come together and push for change. Let me be very clear when I say this is not the end of our campaign. We must ensure that the works are completed to the highest standard. We must continue to monitor the performance and reliability of the upgraded lifts, and we must keep advocating for improved accessibility across our entire transport system. Access to public transport should not depend on anyone's age, mobility or circumstances. The people of Mortdale deserve a station that they can rely on. With the upgrades now underway, they are one step closer to having that.

Ms TRISH DOYLE (Blue Mountains) (20:44:00):

I acknowledge the timeline that the member for Oatley spoke to as it relates to his community and the need for his community to have an accessible station. I note that the station was upgraded in 2007 and add to the member's contribution by thanking the government of the day for coming to the party.