Improved accessibility is the focus of new Brisbane Cross River Rail project

ABC NEWS (Australia)

In South-east Queensland only three out of every five train stations have ramps or lifts. Brisbane's Cross River Rail project aims to make accessibility its priority and is doing so by involving people with disabilities in the engineering process.

Transcript

00:00 This is the future of Queensland's rail network.

00:05 In a warehouse on Brisbane's north side, this replica underground station is being

00:10 put to the test.

00:12 People with disabilities are trying out the materials that will be used to make Cross

00:16 River Rail accessible.

00:17 Oh that was a fantastic experience visiting the mock station.

00:21 David Saxberg, who is totally blind, relies on public transport.

00:26 He's helping design Cross River Rail's stations.

00:29 The meetings are constructive.

00:31 There's many robust debates between members.

00:34 We've received over 250 pieces of feedback that gets incorporated into our designs.

00:39 Yeronga is the first to be upgraded.

00:42 We've installed rubber fingers and that sort of closes the gap so people don't have the

00:46 risk of falling between the train and the platform.

00:49 It now also has a braille map and flow-through lifts so travellers don't need to turn around.

00:55 But there are concerns about how the state's greater train network is tracking.

00:59 According to Queensland Rail's own figures, about 40% of train stations in South East

01:04 Queensland still can't be accessed by lifts or ramps.

01:10 Which means the state has failed to reach the federal target of having all train stations

01:15 fully accessible by 2022.

01:17 We've still got a long, fair way to go.

01:20 The more infrastructure we get sorted out, the better it will be for the passenger.

01:24 Cross River Rail is expected to be operating by 2026.

01:28 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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