Campaign launch for lifts at Redfern

A lack of accessibility to transport services reduces the independence of people with less mobility as well as making it very difficult and unsafe for the elderly and parents with small children and prams, as well as passengers with luggage.

“Access to public transport is a basic right. Given that Redfern station is one of the busiest transport hubs in NSW, more suburban and inter-urban trains stop here than any other station, with the exception of Central, and 50,000 people use this station every day. It is appalling that there are no lifts,” said Mehreen Faruqi, spokesperson for Lift Redfern Station.

Redfern station already serves a large community, is a vital interchange, has connectivity to bus stops and provides access for workers, residents, visitors and students to major facilities, services and universities. With many large urban renewal projects proposed for the Redfern-Waterloo area, commuter numbers will only grow. It seems baffling that no easy access upgrades have been scheduled for such a significant station. The Lift Redfern Station campaign wants to ensure that providing equitable access and improving safety at this station becomes top priority.

In order to do this, a month of collective community action is going to commence in March, starting with a launch at Redfern Station on Monday March 19 at 8am. Community members and commuters are urged to come and support this call for action and help collect 10,000 signatures for a petition which can then generate debate in the NSW Parliament to make Redfern station accessible NOW!

If you would like to follow the campaign for lift access at Redfern Station, or get involved, go to www.liftredfernstation.wordpress.com or leave a message on Facebook www.facebook.com/LiftRedfern