News

Long awaited lifts on way for station

MOTHERS with prams and elderly residents will no longer have to battle the stairs at Birrong Station after funding for a major upgrade to Birrong Train Station including a long awaited lift, received the go ahead.

Donna Pearman and Kerrie Richardson were among local residents joining State MP for Bankstown, Tania Mihailuk, to welcome the $4.7 million upgrade in last week’s state budget, which will also include accessible toilets and the installation of a pedestrian footbridge and ramps.
“After quite a number years of fighting alongside our local MP, advocating on behalf of the local community, we’ve finally got the green light for these vital upgrades to our local station,” Ms Pearman said.
Miss Richardson added that the area’s population was getting older and it was also busier since the station was made a ‘hub’.
“It’s very exciting to finally receive an upgrade as I have been using the station for the last 63 years,” she said.
“We’ve had to struggle trying to access public transport with no lift for far too long – it’s about time Birrong station receives an upgrade.”
Yagoona train station has also been earmarked for an upgrade, but Ms Mihailuk slammed the Berejiklian Government for not allocating funds to upgrade Chester Hill train station, which was ranked as fourth in need of accessibility upgrades by a 2013 Transport NSW assessment.
“It’s taken six long years but we have finally been successful and secured the money we need to improve access to Birrong and Yagoona stations,” she said.
“These stations should have been upgraded long ago, and it is great news, particularly for the elderly, those with disabilities, and parents with prams and strollers, who will no longer have to struggle to get to the platforms.”