Concerns about accessibility at new south-east train stations have been raised by a Kelmscott resident, despite assurances from the Public Transport Authority (PTA) the stations meet national disability standards.
The PTA said it was committed to making public transport accessible for all passengers.
“Every new station is designed to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act and existing stations are being progressively upgraded to meet modern standards,” the PTA spokesperson said.
“Armadale and Byford stations are fully compliant with the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002.”
The spokesperson said stations with less than 1000 car parking spaces were required to have at least one ACROD bay for every 50 car parking spaces, which were met by both the Byford and Armadale stations.
Kelmscott resident Elaine Dunn, who holds an ACROD permit, said her experience at the south-east stations had left her frustrated.
Ms Dunn said she relied on public transport as her primary mode of travel and frequently used a mobility scooter because she’s unable to walk for extended periods.
She said transporting the scooter by car was difficult, which made accessible station design particularly important.
However, when the reopened train line launched last October, Ms Dunn said she drove to the Armadale station to see how the new facilities catered to people with disability.
“We parked right beside the opening doors at Armadale station,” she said.
“I thought ‘This is fantastic’.”
As she approached the entrance, Ms Dunn realised the automatic doors nearest to the ACROD bays were barricaded.
“I said to the railway man ‘My car’s parked right there. Can’t you open that door?’” she said.
Ms Dunn said no explanation was given as to why the doors were closed, forcing her to travel the longer route around the station.
“But when we got into the car, staff members came through the door – it was operational,” she said.
When the Examiner visited the Armadale station on January 7, there was no shelter between the walkway from the ACROD bays to the entrance.
The Examiner asked the PTA how this design accommodated to people with disability or elderly users during extreme weather conditions.
“Covered walkways from the carpark are not standard at any of our train stations,” the spokesperson said.
The PTA said the design and placement of the Armadale station entrance was determined based on optimal convenience and accessibility for the majority of passengers.
“Opening a secondary entrance would result in significant extra cost due to the need for additional gate infrastructure, ongoing maintenance and staffing,” the spokesperson said.
The PTA clarified the additional infrastructure referred to the gates which passengers used to tag on and off.
The PTA said passengers who are elderly or living with disability and require assistance are encouraged to contact Transperth in advance, with staff able to meet them at stations and help them board or disembark services.
The Examiner asked the PTA to clarify what it meant by additional gate infrastructure costs, considering the existing undercover automatic doors were already operational.
Ms Dunn said her experience at Byford Station raised similar concerns, with ACROD bays located so far from the station entrance, she couldn’t even see them.
“It is so far away,” she said, adding that the provision of accessible bays felt like a token gesture rather than a practical solution for people with mobility needs.
