Ministerial Statement - Train travel boost to improve access 27 May 2007

[ozbob]

Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
27/05/2007

Train travel boost to improve access

All south-east Queenslanders will soon find it easier to jump onboard Citytrain services.

The Queensland Government will provide a $29 million boost in this year's State Budget to improve access on rail services.

Premier Peter Beattie and Deputy Premier and Treasurer Anna Bligh announced the funding initiative this morning after traveling on the final test run of a new QR Citytrain which goes into service tomorrow.

"In recent years we've done an enormous amount of work to improve access to public transport," Mr Beattie said.

"But this funding boost will go a long way in providing even better access for mums with prams and young children, the elderly and the disabled.

"This is all about making it easier for everyone, no matter what their circumstances, to enjoy public transport on our Citytrain network.

"Over the past 10 years we have allocated $167.8 million to make Citytrain stations more accessible," Mr Beattie said.

"Disability compliance is a major target for the Queensland Government that is required to meet milestones for industry standards on public transport.

"At present people using wheelchairs can access 47, or 33 per cent, of the 143 Citytrain stations on their own, with a further 52, or 37 per cent, accessible with carers.

"Additionally, out of our rolling stock fleet 94 per cent, or 420 of the 449 carriages are accessible to wheelchairs," Mr Beattie said.

"While a lot has been done there is still a lot to do and this funding boost moves us even closer to meeting disability compliance targets.

Ms Bligh said $10 million would be used to upgrade the current Citytrain carriages to make them more accessible.

"A further $18 million will be used to upgrade the citytrain stations themselves with another $986 000 earmarked to make it easier for wheelchair users to get on and off the stations and Citytrain's."

Ms Bligh said the new slick state-of-the-art rollingstock hitting the tracks from Monday would provide even further accessibility.

"The brand new trains deliver even greater benefits to commuters who find it hard to get around," Ms Bligh said.

"Today we launched the first of 44 trains that will provide audio and video passenger information systems for our hearing and visually impaired.

"There is also improved space for wheelchairs and wheelchair-friendly toilets on our Gold and Sunshine Coast trains," Ms Bligh said.

"Additionally Braille signage, improved lighting and colour contrasting fittings will go along way in helping our visually impaired get around."

Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Paul Lucas, who also attended the new Citytrain launch, said the delivering of these new trains and the accessibility improvements across the network demonstrates that the Beattie Government is providing the infrastructure to get everyone where they need to go.

"This week I also announced the first cab of 75 to be supplied free of charge under the $4.8 million Accessible Taxis Queensland program - so now no small town with a taxi service is without a wheelchair accessible cab for residents and tourists," he said.

"This is just another example of our commitment to provide all Queenslanders access to modern, safe and reliable public transport."

[mufreight]

Improived access is a poor joke, examples being Brunswick Street and Indoorpilly, at both there are extensive rebuilds in progress with hundreds of thousandards of tax payer dollars being spent to supposedly make them more passanger friendly including lifts to provide access to the platforms for the diasbled and handicaped but the platforms are still at there original levels some 9 inches below the carriage floors, perhaps the Minister could provide some rational explanation as to why have the platforms been not been raised.
The disabled, the handicaped and mothers with children in prams as well as the average able bodied commuter would be interested in an explanation for why the platforms have not been raised.  A shortsighted example of duplicity and stupidity.  Perhaps you the reader of this message may like to contact the Ministers office and ask why, before this monument to stupidity is set in concrete.      Mufreight