Image: Steve Johnson
The New South Wales government will upgrade three train stations, making them more accessible and equipped with more robust surveillance technology.
Three stations that are within the government’s sights for a major overhaul are Victoria Street Station, Panania and Harris Park.
Engineering and infrastructure management company Downer has been selected to deliver the necessary upgrades in a contract valued at $56 million, for design and construction of new facilities.
Under a Coalition government initiative, the upgrades to Victoria Street Station fall within the Transport Access Program, which was launched in April 2012, and has delivered 450 projects across the state so far.
The program was launched to provide a “better experience” for public transport customers by delivering accessible, modern, secure and integrated transport infrastructure.
These include accessibility for the disable, elder and parents with prams, safety improvements like extra lighting, help points, signage improvements, fences and security measures for car parks and interchanges including stations, bus stops and wharves.
The upgrades for Victoria Street Station will include three new lifts providing customers with direct access to the footbridge from the street and then down to the platforms, refurbishments to the existing station building, footbridge and stairs, and the platform will be resurfaced.
According to Transport for NSW, new CCTV cameras and lighting will be installed to improve security, new canopies will be built over the platform, stairs and footbridge to provide protection from the weather and there will be a new accessible toilet.
Downer will also be responsible for upgrading the commuter car park and transport interchange.
Transport for NSW said the existing commuter car park will be re-surfaced; two accessible parking spaces will also be created, along with a space for taxis and private vehicles to pick-up and drop-off customers.
Accessible paths will be built to connect the upgraded carpark to the rest of the transport interchange.
Subject to planning approval, the station upgrade and refurbishment of the carpark is scheduled to start around the middle of 2017 and take approximately 12 months to complete.
Similar upgrades will be delivered to Panania station, where construction will initiate in June 2017 and will take 12 months to complete.
