2 April 2024

Accessibility upgrade on way for Canberra Railway Station

| Ian Bushnell
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NSW TrainLink Southern XPLORER train

Passengers alight from the Xplorer service at Canberra Railway Station. Photo: John Coleman.

Canberra Railway Station in Kingston is in line for an upgrade to bring it up to scratch so there are no impediments to people with a disability or older people being able to use the facility.

The station, run by Transport for NSW, is one of nine regional stations slated for an upgrade as part of the NSW Government’s $800.7 million Safe Accessible Transport program to be rolled out over the next four years.

A NSW Government spokesperson said the improvements would be tailored to the specific needs of the Canberra community.

“As a first step, Transport for NSW will consult with Canberra stakeholders and commuters to better understand local needs,” the spokesperson said.

But works could include upgraded external paths, ramps, kiss and ride areas for easy pick-ups/drop-offs for people with mobility issues or using prams and luggage, and enhanced signage to enhance passenger safety throughout the station.

Planning work will take about nine to 12 months to complete and a distinct design will be developed focused on each site’s needs.

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Early engagement with key stakeholders at each location will start later this year, and more information will be provided to the community at each stage of the process.

To learn more visit the Transport for NSW website.

Transport for NSW is planning to kick off early engagement through location-specific workshops with local people with disability and their carers to inform development of the concept design, followed by pop-up sessions in each location with the wider community who will be invited to have their say on the proposed works.

The community is invited to sign up to a project distribution list to ensure they’re kept informed about engagement opportunities and as the projects progress.

Train station

Canberra Railway Station will be brought up to scratch so it will be safer and more accessible.

The Safe Accessible Transport program delivers accessible, modern and safe transport which people can independently access and want to use.

The program is designed so facilities comply with Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (DSAPT) and improve accessibility for passengers and users.

Canberra station is located on land owned by the ACT Government but is operated by Transport for NSW via its interagency NSW TrainLink under agreement with Transport Canberra.

Canberra is the terminus for the NSW Xplorer service by NSW TrainLink from Central Station in Sydney. It is also served by NSW TrainLink road coach services to Cootamundra, Bombala and Eden.

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The original station building opened in 1924.

Canberra train station features one platform, an accessible carpark, a waiting room, a ticket counter, a kiss and ride zone, a taxi rank, two bus stops, a coach stop, a luggage room, an accessible toilet and a help point.

The ACT Government plans to replace it with a new transport hub as part of the East Lake development.

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1. Better access to toilets, need to be updated. 2. Re catching cab home after- may not be as busy now that people have access to Uber, but it used to be a bun fight. One guy pushed me out of the way by slamming the taxi door into me.

ChrisinTurner3:08 pm 02 Apr 24

Not too long ago I met friends from Europe who were arriving by train. They were amused to find our one-platform station was not part of a transport hub in a central location and the capital of Australia only has three traina a day.

Not going to lie, but as a long-time resident here, I just assumed the train had stopped running completely. I haven’t used it for over 25 years, and why would anyone when it’s cheaper and faster to drive to Sydney?

Kim Rawlings11:52 am 02 Apr 24

I require using a walker as my vision is damaged. It is so much easier to gain entry on the train when a staff member gets the ramp. However cooperation in getting this set up is rare indeed. And absolutely impossible when arriving in Central. Central Station is worse as the gap between the train and station is wider. Would also be a plus if passengers could leave their car at Kingston Station safely. Having a disabled friendly railway station similar to our tram stations would be a real bonus.

On the Sydney to Canberra train, my daughter, recently arrived from the UK went to check in her suitcase. It weighed 21.2 Kgs. She was requested to take 1.2kgs out of the suitcase. What sort of message does this send?

Capital Retro11:59 am 02 Apr 24

Probably a workplace and safety protocol put in place by trade union shop-stewards who migrated from England a few years ago. Hope your daughter felt at home.

Heywood Smith1:33 pm 02 Apr 24

A simple message that her bag was over the allowable weight limit.

PC__LoadLetter10:49 am 02 Apr 24

Why should NSW upgrade it? According to the East Lake Place Plan, the ACT intends to demolish it! It needs to be shuffled over a little so there’s room to extend The Causeway from Cunningham Street down to Hume Circle. They can get away with keeping the easternmost tip of the current platform, but the station building and the rest of the platform needs to go.

I am not sure why NSW would not be funding the Kingston Railway upgrade PC—LoadLetter. The land is owned by the ACT government who has an agreement with the NSW government for them to lease and operate the rail network in Kingston. It is no different from any other leasing agreement.

The Kingston railway upgrade is not before time. These improvements should have occurred years ago to comply with current safety, disability and accessibility standards. Planning for the project has not commenced. It will be interesting to see how these improvements shape up and compare against the funding and upgrades that are occurring at all stations throughout NSW.

PC__LoadLetter8:20 am 03 Apr 24

Why waste money upgrading a station that is about to be demolished? Spend that money on building the new station 100 metres away.

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