Victorian train network failing to meet national accessibility standards

Australia Broadcast Center

31-05-2025

Accessing Melbourne's train network is a challenge for Andrew Bretherton.
The 38-year-old was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome about 10 years ago, and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
But using his closest train station — Windsor in Melbourne's inner-south-east — has become an inconvenience because of the steep ramps and limited accessibility features.
The station also has no lifts, independent boarding or accessible pick up and drop off points.
'I've missed out on an event with friends because I couldn't get there," Mr Bretherton said.
Even with the power settings on his wheelchair, designed to help with mobility, he pushes his weight forward to travel up the ramp from the underground platforms to the busy Chapel Street thoroughfare above.
Mr Bretherton, who is an advocate with the Disability Resource Centre, believes it would be nearly impossible to exit the station manually without this setting.
Windsor is on the Sandringham line, which sprawls across Melbourne's bayside suburbs and has no stations with lifts or elevators.
The ABC collected accessibility data from the Metro Trains website, and found across the network of 220 stations, one in three did not meet Australian standards that for every 14 metres, the slope of a ramp should increase by one metre.
Metro Trains suggests assistance may be required at some stations like Richmond and South Yarra, which connect several train lines, because of the inadequate station access.
Two-thirds of stations are without lifts, and more than half do not have accessible toilets.
'This is a basic necessity but it doesn't surprise me because so little thought is given to our community,' Mr Bretherton said.
He said subsequent state governments had failed to make accessibility improvements to the network, despite funding other transport infrastructure.
'They're putting a dollar value on our lives and what they're saying is our lives aren't worthy enough for that dollar value,' he said.
Lilly Cascun walks an additional half an hour each way to Darebin train station, because her closest at Ivanhoe in Melbourne's east is not accessible for her needs.
The 18-year-old was born totally blind and said the extended journey had become a burden.
'It means I'm getting home pretty late at night sometimes. Mum and dad don't like the idea of walking home in the dark,' she said.
Ms Cascun relies on the little dots and bars raised above the edge of train platforms – tactile ground surface indicators (TGSIs) – to help guide her and move with ease.
'I find it really sad that there are so many stations that I can't feel safe at,' Ms Cascun said.
Ivanhoe is among 36 stations across the network without TGSIs lining the edges of platforms in full or in part.
After writing to Victorian MPs and refused funding, Ms Cascun started an online petition, which received thousands of signatures.
Public Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams said the government had listened to the community's concerns.
'We'll deliver tactiles at Ivanhoe station, providing a safer and more accessible station for locals like Lilly,' Ms Williams said.
Ms Cascun said she was grateful for the support but called on the government to speed up its commitment to meeting nationally-legislated accessibility targets.
'I must say it's taken quite a few months of fighting for it.'
'I think it's something that needs to be fixed not just here at Ivanhoe but all of those other stations. I'm hoping this is a shift that will help to work on that,' she said.
Liberal MP Nick McGowan has met with Ms Cascun and also written to his parliamentary colleagues to ask for increased accessibility funding across the network.
He welcomed the state government's commitment to fund TGSIs at Ivanhoe but said there is still a long way to go.
'Lilly's an inspiration but it shouldn't take a campaign from an 18-year-old for the government to realise that we actually should have facilities for everyone of low or no vision on our public transport system,' he said.
In 2002, the federal government passed laws to ensure public transport operators and providers make their services accessible and remove discrimination against people with disabilities.
A spokesperson for the Department of Infrastructure and Transport said trains were required to be 100 per cent compliant by the end of 2032.
"While progress has been made across Australia, public transport operators and providers still haven't met their obligation to meet the requirements of the Transport Standards," the spokesperson said.
In Melbourne, nearly half of stations do not have paths greater than 1.2 metres wide to accommodate wheelchair users.
Ms Williams said the state government was making ground but conceded there was still more to do.
"These are challenging requirements to meet but they are important standards.
"We're all dealing with very similar challenges in terms of legacy networks that were often built a long time ago, and therefore we need to continually invest to make sure that we're bringing them up to standard," Ms Williams said.
However, the opposition said the slow progress had left over one million disabled Victorians behind.
'We want the public to use the transport system, not just the able-bodied public but people with disabilities too,' Mr McGowan said.
Metro Trains declined to comment
At Ivanhoe train station, Lilly Cascun said the increased accessibility features will help her travel with ease and minimise her travel journey.
'I'm so grateful that our pleas have been heard and I'm really excited that this station's going to become so much more accessible.'
'It's a pretty amazing feeling to know that if you work hard enough you can really create change,' she said.
With additional reporting by Madi Chwasta.