Whispers in the grape vine finally came to me today advising me of the unusual news that has struck myself and actually all train commuters in St Marys Train Station.
As from today, 6th July 2011, the lifts on the south side of the train station will be closed to install a new one. Now that is not the real issue that worries me but according to a City Rail spokesperson from St Marys train station advised that the lift will be inaccessible for 3 months - This is bad news and then it gets worse - once the South side is completed the North Side of ST Marys's train station will be commencing and guess what..... this will also take three months. Then commuters who require lifts to be accessed with return to normal life after 6 months.
Okay for an ordinary person like myself who is currently able to walk up and down stairs, escalators this is alright but the sting in this is: any commuter who needs to use the lifts because of their disability, they will have to go down on the opposite side of the station, down and up those lifts. then wait for a Westbus 759 to loop them to the other side of the train station. Too bad if you have to get 2 buses instead of one now for 6 months to get home or to your destination after getting the train or going to get the train!
I'm not an engineer (nor do I want to be one), but simple economic mathematics tom me is it doesn't make sense to do this over a long period of time - unless they are waiting for the parts from overseas. I would have normally thought that a lift could be install within a day or so ( lifting the roof of the lift well and taking out and replacing the new one) -allowing the electronics to be done in short time.
We further understand that the lifts had been in a lot of trouble and subject to a lot of vandalism. What we are looking to do is ask why is it taking so long and see if there is a better system to ensure people can reach the other side of the station is an efficient and responsive time. maybe this will be a good time to use maxi cabs details obtained from the NSW Taxi Council as this form of transport would be regular.
At the end of the day we need to understand that Cityrail's goal is to improve access for all commuters, once these projects are completed.
By the way I believe form a spokesperson of commuters in North St Marys that the 759 ins an hourly session route - here it is. It appears to run half-hourly during the day:
Click here:
http://www.cdcbus.com.au/IgnitionSuite/uploads/docs/759_Timetable_DEC2010_Web_Version[1].pdf
Here are current visual photo's for you to view:
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| The other side of closed lift |
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