Campaigners wanting lift access at Unanderra station may have to wait at least another two years for any work to start.
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The station is an island platform with three sets of stairs – one either side of the station joining together to form a third set to give access to the platform itself.
Any work to improve access to the station would be completed under Transport for NSW’s Transport Access Program (TAP).
According to Transport for NSW annual report for 2016-17 the “planned actual completion date” for TAP is 2020.
However, that does not mean that all stations in the network – including Unanderra – will see improved acccess within two years.
The 2020 deadline is for what is referred to as TAP2, with planning now under way for TAP3 projects.
Upgrades for several stations have already been announced for this year, including Rooty Hill and Edgecliff.
Transport for NSW has tended to focus on the more heavily-used stations first.
With a number of other popular Sydney stations waiting for an accessibility upgrade, it’s unlikely that Unanderra station will see any work take place before the start of TAP3 – after 2020.
“I know that every time we complete a station there’s another community that says ‘what about us?’, Premier Gladys Berejiklian told Fairfax Media late last year when the government reached the halfway mark in terms of wheelchair-accessible stations across the network.
“I know our job is far from done in relation to the Transport Access Program but I’m thrilled with the progress we are making.”
As of December last year, 167 of the 307 stations in the network were wheelchair accessible.
“This represents around 54 per cent of stations and more than 88 per cent of overall patronage accessing these stations,” a Transport for NSW spokeswoman said.
“Our aim is to have a completely accessible network. This will take a number of years to achieve but we are making progress.”
Transport for NSW said the end of 2017 marked the completion of the 400th project under the TAP.
The projects are planned and delivered under what Transport for NSW calls a “prioritisation assessment framework”.
The Transport for NSW spokeswoman declined to say whether the planning work for Unanderra station had been completed or whether upgrades announced at other stations meant Unanderra moved closer to the top of the list.
“Customers at Unanderra station can be assured the provision of an accessibility upgrade will continue to be considered as part of the Transport Access Program,” the Transport for NSW spokeswoman said.