Turrella Station in southern Sydney first opened on 21 September 1931 as part of the East Hills Line (T8 Line). According to the Bureau of Transport Statistics of Transport NSW, approximately 530 passengers pass through the station daily. With two platforms and one island, it is preceded by Bardwell Park Station and followed by Wolli Creek Station.
Turrella Station Audit
In 2020, our team was granted the opportunity to audit Turrella Station to assess which areas were meeting Australian Standards for accessibility and where improvements needed to be made. Early in our assessment, it became clear that the station had only one access point by a single set of stairs, with no lift or wheelchair access available.
The audit also uncovered a number of accessibility flaws. The staircase lacked AS1428.1-compliant handrails, nosings and Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSI), and platforms lacked under-head height clearance hazards. Platform gradients and crossfalls also fell into noncompliance zone AS1428.1 and DSAPT. We observed that Turrella Station had platform edge TGSIs to warn of the track hazard, however, refurbishment and maintenance to restore these were required to assure the future safety of patrons.
We noted that Turrella Station provided wheelchair ramp boarding assistance, which could be used in an emergency when passengers must disembark from a faulty train on the platform and reboard once any issues are resolved. A public announcement system was provided, but we found no evidence of hearing augmentation or signage during the audit. Finally, when assessing the bathrooms provided at Turrella Station, we observed that provisions for male and female ambulant cubicles – including paths leading to and from – and an accessible toilet were not currently provided.
Audit outcome and upgrades
The audit uncovered that Turrella Station was not accessible-friendly. In light of the audit, Transport NSW reported plans to upgrade any stations that did not meet accessible requirements. According to Transport NSW, under this new plan, Turrella Station would be upgraded to improve accessibility. The proposed works fell under the Transport Access Program, a government initiative to provide a better experience for public transport customers by delivering accessible, modern, secure and integrated transport infrastructure.
The main features of the upgrade included a new entrance with a lift and stairs to grant better access to all members of the public, new accessible and ambulant toilets, re-graded platforms, and new TGSIs. Turrella Station is now an accessible, safe and inclusive environment for everyone who passes through.
We look forward to seeing more stations across NSW and Australia proceed with similar upgrades to ensure an accessible experience for everyone.