While millions of dollars will be spent at the Ballarat Station Precinct over the next two years, getting to and from Melbourne for the city’s disabled commuters won’t get any easier.
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Commuters currently looking to get from the main car park through to platform one have to cross the stairs over the platforms or go around to the gates at the Lydiard Street level crossing.
However this poses major issues for people with movement issues, particularly if a train is pulling into the station.
More than $50 million will be spent constructing a new car park, refurbishing the old goods shed and developing an internal bus interchange, all of which will be disability compliant. Despite the massive spending no work is scheduled to take place at the station proper.
Regular commuter Emma Blee suffered a serious injury while overseas almost two years years ago and currently relies on a crutch to walk.
A safety manager by trade, Ms Blee said on several occasions she has almost missed a Melbourne-bound service as the level crossing gates at Lydiard Street were closed, blocking off disability access to platform one.
“I have to get here before everybody else because I’ve been caught out too many times,” Ms Blee said. “We shouldn’t have to get to the station 20 minutes before the train just so we can get to the platform.
“I fully expect to recover from my injuries, but there are other people that can’t.”
As part of the state government’s $516 million Ballarat Line Upgrade project, stations at Ballan, Wendouree and Bacchus Marsh are all in line to get second platforms which will be disability compliant. “There’s absolutely no consideration for disabled people at this station,” Ms Blee said.
“If you’ve got someone in a wheelchair or with a walker they’re not going to be able to go over those steps.”
In a statement a a government spokesperson said “we will continue to explore options to support people of all abilities to use Ballarat station”.
“Our Ballarat Station Precinct Redevelopment project will deliver a new more accessible and user friendly bus interchange as well as DDA compliant care spaces to make it easier for people with a disability to park and ride,” the statement read.