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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-04-10 Daily Xml
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PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE: ST CLAIR RAILWAY STATION PROJECT

Mr SIBBONS (Mitchell) (11:33): I move:

That the 472nd report of the committee, entitled St Clair Railway Station Project, be noted.

The committee has received a proposal to construct the St Clair Railway Station at a cost of $6.42 million. The St Clair station will incorporate the following elements: architecturally designed shelters, platforms designed to minimise the step and gap between platform and trains, closed circuit television surveillance, passenger information display systems on each platform to inform customers about train running times, a central network linked public address system to facilitate real time passenger information announcements and an emergency telephone centrally located on each platform.

The key object of the St Clair station project is to provide improved facilities for commuters that support and encourage increased patronage on train services. The project will also improve commuter comfort and convenience, public safety, security, general amenity and accessibility in line with DSAPT. The project will be complete by September 2013. Given this, and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public works.

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (11:35): The opposition followed this project with interest and is completely supportive of it, once again.

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (11:35): Once again, I welcome any improvements to the public transport system in Adelaide—and in the country areas, where that is possible. One of my points is (and I have made this point before) that, unfortunately, with the new railway stations that have been built, there is no toilet provision in them, and I believe there should be. I understand why planners might choose not to provide toilet facilities but it is a reality that people may need to use a toilet, particularly if they have to wait for a train. I think with some clever design they can make toilets so they are less likely to be vandalised, and I think that can also include the new electronic toilets.

They are not cheap, but I believe it is a fundamental when you have people waiting for trains. It does not matter whether they are male or female, and people often have infants. I have taken my grandchildren on the tram and, of course, when you get on the tram they suddenly decide they want to go to the toilet. As far as I know, there is nowhere along the tram line where there is a public toilet, so you have to resort to irrigation of the adjoining vegetation.

I would like the government to make sure that when they plan these stations, whether it is St Clair or anywhere else, they do provide what is a basic requirement, and that is a toilet, which is necessary if you want to encourage people to use public transport. It is not just older people who need these facilities: they are for people of any age. I think it is just a fundamental. I have seen designs in some places where they are less prone to vandalism, because you can still maintain privacy but create more of what I would call an open aspect so you get less vandalism and it is harder for vandals to get in and destroy these facilities. Either design it that way or use one of these new electronic toilets.

The SPEAKER (11:37): As the development is near my own electorate, I would like to add my support for the proposed St Clair railway station, which is just over the road from Cheltenham Parade. The opportunity for the railway station and the new Coles supermarket has been provided by the housing development in the area bounded by Actil Avenue, the railway line, Cheltenham Parade and Torrens Road, which is now home to hundreds of people and will soon be home to hundreds more.

If councillor Robert Grant and mayor Kirsten Alexander of the Charles Sturt council had had their way, not a single person would be living within those boundaries. The Save St Clair group has referred to the houses there as slums and concrete blocks. The mayor herself, before she was mayor, referred to those houses as 'Little boxes...little boxes...and they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same'. Frankly, I am very pleased that the area is now being used for housing. I welcome the residents to the area. I hope they will enjoy using the new St Clair railway station as much as I will enjoy using it as a regular rail traveller, and I thank, in particular, the opposition (the Liberal Party) for its indication of support for the new railway station.

Motion carried.

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