Turrella Station in southern Sydney first opened on 21 September 1931 as part of the East Hills Line (T8 Line).

The station sees approximately 530 passengers passing through it daily according to statistics provided by The Bureau of Transport Statistics of Transport NSW. It consists of 2 platforms with 1 island, and is preceded by Bardwell Park Station and followed by Wolli Creek Station.

Turrella Station Audit

In 2020, MGAC was granted the opportunity to audit Turrella Station to assess what areas of the station were meeting Australian Standards for accessibility, and where improvements needed to be made.

Early in our assessment, it became clear that the station has only one access point by a sole set of stairs, with no lift or wheelchair access available. The audit also uncovered a number of accessibility flaws with the current standing of the Turrella Station, 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.

MGAC observed that Turrella Station had platform edge TGSIs to warn of the track hazard, however refurbishment and maintenance to restore these is required to assure the future safety of patrons.

Turrella Station provides wheelchair ramp boarding assistance. We noted that this may be used in case of an emergency where it is required to disembark passengers from a faulty train on the platform, and reboarding once any issues are resolved.

A public announcement system was provided, but we found no evidence of hearing augmentation or signage during the time of 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 are not currently provided.

Audit outcome and the future of Turrella Station

The audit uncovered that Turrella Station is not currently accessible-friendly. In light of the audit, Transport NSW has reported plans to upgrade any stations in the state that do not currently meet accessible requirements.

According to Transport NSW, Turrella Station is set to be upgraded to improve accessibility under this new plan. The proposed works, set to be completed in 2023, fall 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 will include 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. When the works are complete, Turrella Station will have transformed into an accessible, safe and inclusive environment for everyone who passes through it.

We look forward to seeing more stations across NSW and Australia proceed with similar upgrades to ensure an accessible experience for everyone, and will be keeping an eye out for future state and national government plans.