Local Stories, DPTI Responses and New Contacts Added

12 December 2017 This update is to let you know: • new contact information has been added to the petition page; • I’ve had two responses from the Flinders Link Project Team; and • more locals are telling me how the loss of their station will be very bad for them; but first: MANY, MANY THANKS to you for supporting the campaign to Save Tonsley Station. By signing this petition, you are supporting: • the human rights of o people with disabilities, including veterans o frail or elderly people o hard working families o low income families o single parent families o school students o tertiary students o unpaid carers both young and old o aged care and disability support workers • equitable access to education • equitable access to employment • equitable access to health services • equitable access to public events • public transport • sustainability • healthier communities LOCAL STORIES In the last fortnight, it was a pleasure to make many new friends at the Tonsley Station. It was NOT a pleasure to see how shocked, upset and puzzled people were to learn that Tonsley Station would be disappearing forever. There is no sign whatsoever at the station to indicate that Flinders Link will take Tonsley Station away. The local community has not been properly engaged or informed. While out and about in my community, I have met families and individuals who are ‘doing it very tough’. Removal of Tonsley Station will add extra hardship to an already heavy load. It is so upsetting and angering that our politicians and bureaucrats seem to have such disregard for the battlers in our midst. How can they be so cruel in their decision making? Where is the duty of care towards the citizens they are supposed to serve? I invite these politicians and bureaucrats to come down and see what life is like on the other side of the tracks. RESPONSES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE (DPTI) MEETING On 10 November 2017, I met with two Engagement Officers from the DPTI where: • I explained how the removal of Tonsley Station was discriminatory. • I voiced my disapproval that the DPTI is going ahead with the project while knowingly discriminating against people with disabilities and members of our community that are already disadvantaged in many ways. • I expressed my dissatisfaction that the Engagement Team failed to provide pertinent information in a timely fashion and that their ‘consultation’ had been inadequate and ambiguous. • I demanded that they place signage on the station as soon as possible because commuters need to know immediately and deserve that respect. • I expressed my concerns about the lack of accessibility of the proposed ramp near Sturt Rd: o Dangers of cyclists freewheeling downhill and around curves while elderly people or wheelchair users were slowly climbing up. I have heard plenty of complaints about ‘shared use’ paths in other precincts where the terrain was flat – what will it be like on a ramp? o Difficulty level: Fighting gravity is hard enough but then add the distance as well. I am unlikely to use it if it is too difficult. If the effort required to reach the walkway to the new Flinders Station is too great, one will be too exhausted to even reach the station. I fear this will be another example of ‘accessible’ development that meets specifications on paper, but in the context of the development, is not practical for those for whom it was intended. The Engagement Officers confirmed at last that the DPTI has no intention of changing the Flinders Link project: • “Clovelly Park will become the end of the line. Tonsley is going and there is nothing we can do about it.” • There are no plans to move Clovelly Park station • There are no plans to renovate Clovelly Park station to make it accessible • There is a plan to include a lift to the elevated walkway at South Rd. • The walking path between existing Tonsley station and the Clovelly Park station is being done by the Tonsley Greenway project which is City of Marion. They Engagement Officers said they would: • ‘push’ to include a lift at corner of Birch Crescent & Sturt Rd in addition to the lift at South Road. • Look into signage EMAIL Yesterday (11 Dec 2017) I received an email from the Flinders Link Project Team in response to the meeting. It was disappointing to read that there will be no lift on the corner of Birch Crescent and Sturt Rd and the DPTI deems a ramp to be sufficient for access to the rail service. While this email claims to ‘consider’ improvements to the currently inaccessible Clovelly Park Station, I am yet to find evidence of funding and approval to do that. The Engagement Officers were adamant at the meeting that there was no scope in the Flinders Link Project for renovating or relocating Clovelly Park Station. The DPTI has totally missed the point that local residents have health issues and disabilities and will NOT be able to walk the distances involved to reach the nearest stations. Does the DPTI not realise that people are already walking approximately 700 m to get across the suburb to reach Tonsley Station? I will quote the information received in the email for your convenience: -------------------- "The Flinders Link Project will create new connections to the health precinct and Flinders University, with this will come an integrated shared pedestrian/cycle path which will provide direct access to the new Flinders Station and can be accessed via the ramp at the corner of Birch Crescent and Sturt Road. Approximately 250 metres south of this location will be a lift and staircase to allow for connection between the Main South Road bus stops and train services. This can be utilised via the accessible pathway along the Flinders Drive extension as part of the Darlington Upgrade Project. You may wish to contact the Darlington Upgrade Project at dpti.darlington@sa.gov.au or 1300 759 334 for more information about this accessible pathway. "We currently have a procurement process for the Flinders Link Project underway. Once this process is complete and a successful contractor is announced, the community will be advised well in advance of a date for the closure of the Tonsley Station, this will include installing signage at the Tonsley Station to advise commuters of the closure. "The Clovelly Park railway station will remain open during construction of the project. Improvements will be considered in consultation with local residents, business and councils; public transport users; Renewal SA and Tonsley Precinct stakeholders (including Flinders University, TafeSA and others). "The Tonsley Greenway extension is managed by the City of Marion Council and we have asked the Council to contact you. You may also wish to contact the Council direct for more information at council@marion.sa.gov.au or 8375 6600. " -------------------- NEW CONTACTS ADDED All of the new contacts given here have been added to the petition page. At the City of Marion, Cr Raelene Telfer represents the relevant Council Ward and has attended meetings of the Darlington Upgrade Project Community Advisory Liaison Group since 2015. I did not know that this Community Liaison Group was also the Department of Transport’s official forum for Flinders Link until Cr Telfer told me because the DPTI had been marketing Darlington Upgrade and Flinders Link as separate projects. I have updated the petition website to include this link to the meeting minutes: https://infrastructure.sa.gov.au/northsouthcorridor/darlington_upgrade_project/community_engagement/community_liaison_group_meeting_records I hope this is helpful for you. Did you know that there is a pen and paper version of this petition as well? If you know someone who would like to Save Tonsley Station and would prefer pen and paper, please email savetonsleystation@gmail.com and it can be organised. Thank you for taking time to read this update. I promise I will keep working hard for access to our rail service but I am just one person and my physical capacity is limited. It is important that everyone who wants to keep Tonsley Station takes action NOW because works are scheduled to commence in "Early 2018".