Just a quick post to note that the new lifts at Flinders Street station have recently been unveiled.
They’re obviously a little way off commissioning, but this is a part of the Metro tunnel project becoming visible.
The lifts will provide an accessible connection from the platforms at Flinders Street to the centre subway, part of an undercover connection through to Town Hall station – as well as an additional accessible interchange between platforms.
The stairs remain on the western side of the subway.
Some have noted the tiles in front of the lift, covering up the old stairs. The style matches, but not the alignment!
I’m not sure if they’re looking at providing an accessible exit at the northern end of the subway into Degraves Street. It used to be that the subway had several exits there. I wonder if they could find a spot for a lift.
Lifts to the centre subway also means a DDA-compliant workaround if there’s a fault with a lift at the eastern end of the platforms, connecting to the main (Swanston Street) concourse, as well as another way of switching platforms.
Anyway, it’s good to see these upgrades progressing.
Also this week: new tram platform stops opened in La Trobe Street. Philip Mallis has a blog on that.
6 replies on “New lifts at Flinders St”
Looks a bit like something Dr Who would use to travel to another universe.
Thanks for the update, Daniel!
I wonder if the western ramps are truly DDA compliant. If it is, then I guess a way around a faulty lift on the eastern end would be to use the ramps on the west end to transfer to another platform and then exiting from the lifts there or to get to platform 10 and exiting via the riverside entrance.
@Arfman No, the western ramps are not DDA compliant by any means, they are much too steep. As a wheelchair user, I will be very glad to see the new lifts open. At present, if the eastern end lift is broken the only way out in a wheelchair is to use non-compliant ramps to transfer as you suggest, or, get back on the train to another station.
@Chris, I wonder – the ramps from the platforms to the Elizabeth St subway are not DDA-compliant, but I assume the relatively new ramp exit from the subway to the river (north bank) is? Not that it helps if someone needs compliant ramps from the train to the exit.
Clearly there will be benefits from re-opening the centre subway (and commissioning the lifts) before the Metro tunnel opens.
@Daniel, I expect that is correct and the ramp exit to the river is compliant. I’ve not had any issues with that ramp nor spoken to anyone who has. Personally, I can manage going down the non-compliant ramps but struggle going up. In the past, when the lift was out of service I have gone down the ramp from the platform and out to the river from that ramp, then taken the lift up from the north bank to Fed Square. Although that is a long detour.
Degraves steet connections would be helpful as the current pedestrian crossing capacity is insufficient. Crowding and waiting multiple cycles of lights to cross Flinders Street (the street, not the station) is too common at peak.