Volunteers from Travellers Aid will soon set up shop at the Ballarat train station to help people get around, but there's still no word on when the state government will invest in full accessibility upgrades.
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Ballarat station will be home to a one-year pilot for he program, with applications opening for full-time and volunteer positions "in the coming weeks", according to the state government.
Travellers Aid will offer "an assistance service" to help "V/Line passengers travel between platforms, coach or bus bays, the taxi rank, and car park drop off zones" in Ballarat.
This is the first time the program has been offered at the Ballarat station, though there was a Travellers Aid presence through a petrol station in the 1970s.
"Volunteers will assist by providing a sighted guide for passengers who are blind or have low vision, helping passengers with their luggage and providing wheelchair transport to support those with limited mobility or temporary injuries move around the station," a media release states.
Despite $100,000 in accessibility improvements at the heritage-listed station, which includes automated doors and tactile floor markings, the Ballarat train station is notorious for not having full disability access across the two platforms.
The only way to get from one platform to the other, if someone can't use the wooden bridge between them, is to leave the station and use the Lydiard Street level crossing - and hope gates don't close as a train approaches.
This includes people moving from disability parking in the new multi-level car park who need to access toilets, which are only on the southern side.
The state government was supposed to make the station Disability Discrimination Act compliant by the end of 2022, however no serious money has been allocated to fix the issue yet, with the 2026 Commonwealth Games looming.
Rail, disability, and heritage advocates have expressed concern and frustration that the station itself has been abandoned by the state government, despite massive upgrades to other buildings in the precinct and more than $500 million spent on the rest of the line which included lifts and overpasses Wendouree, Ballan, and Bacchus Marsh.
A new alliance was formed earlier this year to push for a new approach to the station, and so far neither major party has announced funding for accessibility improvements in the run-up to the 2022 state election.
Last week, the state government announced a total rebuild for Melton station, to improve its capacity in the rapidly growing suburb.
That said, it's hoped the Travellers Aid program will provide a short-term fix to accessibility problems - a spokesperson for Travellers Aid said in a statement the organisation "fully supports improvements" that enable people to "connect, engage, and participate".
"We're very proud to be expanding our services to Ballarat and look forward to continuing our partnership with V/Line to support the local community," chief executive Elias Lebbos said in a statement.
V/Line chief executive Matt Carrick alluded to the Ballarat station's shortcomings in a statement but did not confirm any further action will be taken.
"While we know more needs to be done to improve accessibility, this is a positive step forward and a wonderful initiative that will help improve the experience for our passengers using Ballarat Station," he said.
Anyone interested in volunteering is urged to visit the Travellers Aid website in the coming days to apply.
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