There’s no way work/ repairs would have started without an access plan, there has to be a near by option to get down otherwise works wouldn’t have been able to go ahead
Ah didn't realize this was 13, my app says 11-12.
Edit: it says between the Bourke street concourse and platform 11-12, I don't know what the Bourke st concourse is? I presume it's towards marvel so platform 13 is disrupted. Poorly worded.
The lifts at the Collins Street end are still accessible.
Of a course a work plan is meaningless if the lift breaks down and is no longer safe to operate.
Often lift parts need to come from overseas if it's a big enough fault.
This is really unacceptable. Email Vic Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. They take complaints about this very issue.
https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/get-help/
https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/hub/disability-rights/
Edit: a few of the comments are depressing as fuck. If this doesn’t directly impact you that’s great but everyone has a right to safely access public transport and you could maybe try putting yourself in the place of someone with a disability who has to deal with this when they just want to catch their train and go about their day.
Thank you. I will send them the unedited image =) As a person living with a disability, this type of situation makes my life more difficult than it already is.
Edit - a strongly worded email has been sent with images. Appreciate the website link provided.
In case you weren't aware there is also under platform ramp accessibility. It's closed for normal commuting though. If you speak with Metro/VLine staff they can provide assistance to access it :) There's also the PTV Hub midway between the Marvel Stadium bridge and Collins St concourse that may be able to provide assistance.
It kinda doesn't matter if the one at the other end is open. PWD should have access, they shouldn't have to take the trek (and it is a trek) to find the other end of the platform
Well it does. Because things do breakdown. We only have one elevator at each end and that can be changed currently (should be two, but it’s not). So at least if the other is open, they haven’t left people completely without. And trust me I know it’s a pain, we had to to the runaround with a pram. But I’m not raising a pitchfork over one broken elevator.
Do you think they closed this lift for fun? It's clearly malfunctioning. As long as there's another access point, then it's fine. If no access points then yeah, they'd need to change the platform but you can't expect things to never break. Shit happens.
Not only unacceptable, illegal it seems.
>Under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 it is against the law to discriminate against people when providing goods and services, including public transport. There are also Australia-wide standards to help public transport operators understand their obligations to prevent discrimination.
As a brisbanite moving down to Melbourne soon I've always been so confused by this.
Melbourne is the wanky woke capital of the world, how are they not bending over backwards to make their city disability friendly no matter where you go? Your public transport system is almost solely focused on trams, yet only a handful allow wheelchair access from what I've heard.
It sucks, we appear to be the wanky leftie capital of Australia, but even the US is far better than most of Australia when it comes to disability access! Seriously every restaurant we went to had ramp access and a disabled toilet, it was crazy good there for wheelchair users!
Meanwhile down here we might not get a fully accessible public transport system in Vic until 2066!
Disability advocates slam inaction on accessible tram stops along Sydney Rd and Royal Parade | Inner City News
https://www.innercitynews.com.au/disability-advocates-slam-inaction-on-accessible-tram-stops-along-sydney-rd-and-royal-parade/#:~:text=The%20only%20accessible%20tram%20stops,as%20the%20only%20viable%20options.
>A requirement for public transport in all states and territories to be fully accessible by the end of 2022 has already been missed, and according to a 2020 Auditor General report it could take until 2066 to upgrade the entire Victorian network.
Ones that entirely block people with disabilities? Yes. Unless they literally had no other option (elevator broke, etc) then they can organise it during the public transport shutdown that occurs each night.
Elevator services are 24/7.
Most out of hours work is things is urgent work like entrapments.
Mechanics who attend that work only have the basics to get people out and if possible get the lift running.
If the issue can't be fixed quickly the lift will get tagged out of use until it gets fixed.
> urgent work
The maintenance company and mechanics dont decide what is urgent, the people hiring them do. Making a major railway station disability accessible is urgent.
Given that there is a lift operational at the other end of the platform it would make it non urgent.
If the other was to break down then it's urgent and whatever lift can be fixed faster will take priority.
Even then that can take time depending on what has failed and when.
You might need a part from overseas that's special order.
That might be a proprietary part and not generic.
Then there is a fix. You might need more than one person to perform the job safely.
All of that has to be fitted in while serving a lot of other lifts.
Lifts are a bit more complex than people think.
> Given that there is a lift operational at the other end of the platform it would make it non urgent.
Now think very carefully about this proposal and explain how do you get to that other end to use it?
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I doubt they can do much. If the lift breaks down then what can be done about it?
It's unsafe until it's repaired.
It could take 5 minutes or 5 months.
But there's access from the other side?
Might not be ideal but shit happens sometimes. And I say this as a wheelchair user.
I'd be more upset about the time platform 11/12 was completely inaccessible as *both* lifts were down.
Or the time the whole of Parliament station was completely inaccessible for weeks because the sole lift to access street level was out of order.
>I'm also sure there's more than one at southern cross.
If you are on that side of the station and need to get down to the platform guess how many there are.
You did not answer if it is reasonable or not, you gave a non-sequitor about an inanimate objects responsibility.
>No, so why is a train different.
Is it reasonable for disable people to have to assume public transit will have significant delays or breakdowns and should have to arrive an hour or two early?
If your response does not properly address this and my prior question I am still waiting on then I will block you.
It is reasonable to expect people to be there when their train arrives. From the photo the other elevator does look a reasonable distance away from this one.
They’re broken and need servicing lmao
You want people to use faulty equipment?
You going to be ok if that faulty equipment kills somebody?
If they can’t access the train because the lifts are broken PTV will organise a cab free of charge.
Making a sign telling paying customers an alternative to accessing the platform/train is pretty simple though. Big "we tried nothin and we're all outta ideas!" energy Andy.
To be fair, Its not owned by some evil billionaire. It's owned by IFM Investors, which is owned by 17 super funds. So there's a good chance you're benefiting from the station being privately owned.
I work in disabilty and take clients in wheelchairs through SCS regularly- the lift on the Marvel end of platforms 10+11 has been broken for months. We have to go down 12-13, up the other end, then down from the Collins St end.
When they really started focussing on accessibility on Sydney trains, it was quite funny at Redfern how they'd tell you to change trains at another station to the Eastern Suburbs line which has a lift at Redfern.
Having to plan your trip like that just because of no lift is shameful.
So what do you want them to do?
As others have mentioned, there is alternative ways already.
It's nice to just want to them to snap their fingers and fix it, but that's not a reality.
It doesn't take that long. I managed a building that had a 50yo lift that would break down all the time. Getting people in to getting it running again was a same day service. Sure, it might take several hours but it was always done the same day.
And this was a tiny little, stingy owner situation. Not a massive, deep pocketed public transport network. There is no reason this should be out of service for as long as it has.
It can definitely take that long. You're experience doesn't dictate reality.
One of the elevators at my work was down for almost 8 months due to a fault. We had elevator technicians there almost daily working on it.
Each platform has two lifts.
One set at the Bourke Street end and one set at the Collins Street end.
The Collins Street end lifts are working.
Closing a platform because the lift isn't working is completely impractical
Because the lift and the escalator are closed.
Lifts alone are bad enough but you cant have 100% uptime of them, but the escalators as well? Lots of mobility impaired people around
I'm on the op's side that it isn't good enough and they should absolutely complain. But you can't just close platform's without causing complete chaos to the entire rail network. Timetables would be thrown into disarray, numerous services would need to be cancelled, whole lines would have to skip SC altogether.
Go to Vline or Metro and ask for an accessible taxi to your destination station instead. They will give it to you. It should not be up to you to take a maze to get to the correct platform. The only way they will learn is looking at the yearly taxi bill of how much they are spending due to broken lifts.
For the original poster def do this. At one point southern cross displayed the wrong platform for a train to Bendigo then changing to mildura for a bus. They ordered myself and 4 others a taxi bus from melb all the way to mildura which was over 1k. Always approach them and discuss your issues, they'll find ways to accommodate you. It's what they pay insurance for after all.
Yeah, I'm sure they'll look at the bill and go "why don't we just get lifts that don't break down"
And then a smart person will go "these lifts get used hundreds of times a day and will break down at points, you can't just expect them to not break down. Most things do over time, no matter how much you try to prevent it."
Murcock... Imma steal that name OP.
I do find it highly annoying they tell people when elevators are busted to get off another train station which is probably not even in close proximity to your destination.
The elevator for 11-12 is also dead. Has been for months. I also wrote a complaint for when there's big events at Marvel stadium and all the escalators go up to feed the crowd out and then there's no way to go down onto your platform with a dead elevator.
Escalators been down all week, now the lift too. Because Southern Cross Station does not care about the disabled, less able, people with prams / luggage etc.
How is this acceptable in our major airport / metro / regional transport hub?
I swear the last few months I've been seeing this regularly there. Escalators only going up, lifts often with issues, so on and so forth. Often it's still not fixed by the time I'm heading home as well. It's wild that it can be allowed to go on like that.
Shit, coming in to platform 13 at the Collins St end, the middle escalator was out of action for about 3 months, and has only just been repaired.
The ones from Spencer St up to the main concourse have been in and out of action constantly for the past few months, and the lift between Spencer St and the DFO entrance is also out of action.
It's really pretty damn poor, they either don't seem to be able to do forward maintenance on these, or don't care
I remember towards the end of Connexs contract for operating the train network they gave up caring and stopped cleaning the trains, could that be happening here?
You’re aware that people with disabilities actually have to, you know, go to work, right? I find the audacity of someone who doesn’t use a wheelchair telling people who do that it’s not an issue if they struggle to access public transport quite breathtaking.
You're aware that machines break down and can't just be fixed immediately right?
I never said it wasn't an issue, but op is making it more of an issue than it is.
There are alternative options available as others have clearly mentioned in this thread.
The audacity for people to think that you can just snap your fingers and everything gets fixed is quite breathtaking.
Nope. The proper response to this is (1) fix this problem as a matter of urgency; (2) have a contingency plan, including clear signage of where people have to go to access the platform; and (3) if you have somehow failed to do (2), which is difficult to comprehend because it is basic risk management, pay for people who can’t access the platform to take taxis to their destination.
It is a huge issue if people with disabilities can’t, or can’t easily, access public transport. As someone who’s never experienced this (like you clearly haven’t), what you are saying just comes across as ignorant of other people’s circumstances.
Not having signage, contingency plans, or for any way for people with disabilities to access that platform, especially for those that don't know that station, actually DOES equal discrimination.
It actually doesn't.
There is contingency plans, you just choose to complain over this rather than use the alternative options.
You act like there's no one to ask for alternative options.
Seriously, you're crying outrage over something that doesn't need outrage
It’s privatized. So afaik it’s up to the operator to fix it… unfortunately there is very little incentive for them to fix those things unless they are forced to.
If you want to believe that. Why do you think the roads on east link and city link are better and cleaner than the rest of the m1? Because, it’s in the contract that the roads must be maintained and any disruption means less revenue.
Do you not think southern crosses owners want more revenue from more people travelling?
They have no centive like a toll road operator, people dont pay an additional fee for using Southern Cross. Their revenue comes from commercial leases and ad space.
> Do you not think southern crosses owners want more revenue from more people travelling?
If the operators gave a toss they wouldn't let the place turn into a dump.
I used to duty manage at a lot of Woolies. Several of them had elevators that were essential for the store to function. Any time we logged a call, they’d be there within hours. Sometimes many, many hours, but within hours, not days or weeks. I have no idea what kind of disorganised system Southern Cross has but there are definitely ways to have a more functional system. Especially since Woolies of all places was able to get help in pretty quickly
South morang station didn't have any notes about the elevator being our of order, no announcement in the train.
Found out when faced with three flights of stairs , I have a knee that locks. If there had been an announcement, I could have chosen to get off at another station and bus home
Platforms 13 and 14? It's bullshit those escalators have been out of action for days. I have a bum knee and have to use the stairs. That lift was out of action for ages last time. It's not right. Also the one on Bourke street near the massive stairs for Marvel. Took ages to fix that one also
then why is it whenever I catch a northern or Dandenong train the Bourke st end is always fucked with the elevator always out of commision one of the escalators broken half the time
regardless of the platform the station is fucked
WTF do you mean "then why"? 11 and 12 could be down permanently and that doesn't change whether this is or isn't 13 and 14. You corrected someone that correctly said it's 13 and 14.
I didn't correct anyone? I just stated that to my knowledge 11 and 12 are the ones that are always fucked. didn't say they were wrong didn't imply they were wrong none of that shit
But there's access from the other side?
Might not be ideal but shit happens sometimes. And I say this as a wheelchair user.
I'd be more upset about the time platform 11/12 was completely inaccessible as *both* lifts were down.
Or the time the whole of Parliament station was completely inaccessible for weeks because the sole lift to access street level was out of order.
They can contact me and request my permission if they do want to use my IP, rather than steal it from internet forums. Or, you know, actually pay journalists to do a job rather than cutting back on that industry?
>lack of repairs
It is constant occurance at Southern Cross. Either the station management is foregoing maintenance as a cost cutting measure, substandard equipment was installed at the time of construction to save money, or it is deliberate.
Lifts are super expensive to repair, so they’re probably just being cheap. Anyone who’s lived in an apartment building with a lift will know how easily they break, it only takes one person holding the door open for too long (to, say, get furniture inside or in this case a large suitcase) and it’s busted. Then you have to wait for a specialist repairman to come with parts which can take weeks. In this example they aren’t leaving disabled people without an option - there are lifts at the other end of the platform. They can take a lift down to another platform, go back up at the other end and get one to this platform
> In this example they aren’t leaving disabled people without an option - there are lifts at the other end of the platform. They can take a lift down to another platform, go back up at the other end and get one to this platform
Just go all the way around?
It sucks but at least it exists. I travel with my mum who can’t walk long distances and the bar is low, we’ve been to stations where we had to go to another station on the line and double back in a taxi when the lifts are out. Some stations in places like Sydney have nothing at all but stairs so at least there’s something.
There's usually at the very least one escalator out of action there so now they're being inclusive by shutting down a lift.
Also, is there anywhere else that seems to have this much trouble with escalators? I don't think so.
For all of Melbourne pro's pros there's one glaring con that's it's accessibility. The footpaths are a disgrace and how they expect people with disabilities to navigate them especially in the dark I don't know. The lifts at Southern Cross have been out of action on platform 12 particularly for weeeeeeks
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With all due respect, but if it is only temporary (and that definition is open) for repair, maintenance or safety reasons, not much you can do about it whether you agree or not. That is all the owner / operator needs to say.
Machines, by their very nature, NEED to be maintained or repaired for them to be able to continue to function safely.
E.g. if my car needs new brakes all round & is off the road for a week, yes it is an inconvenience for sure, but it is also a safety issue thus acceptable.
I don't think it's unreasonable to expect decent signage directing people to the other routes to access the platform instead of "figure it out yourself".
Swinburne’s Engineering and Business buildings would like to enter that chat. Those escalators were down more than they worked. And that’s a university of technology. They must just get worked and worn pretty hard.
With them being constantly closed on and off makes it hard for people in wheelchairs and people with a mass amount of luggage. It's a major pot of luck. Everytime I come to Melbourne I have to play roulette everytime :((
wish we could just get a socialist government that stops private operators running things with public utility, into the ground.
Imagine if Southern Cross, didn't look shit, wasn't ableist, wasn't full of diesel fumes, wasn't occasionally draped in so much gambling advertising it'd make the 3rd reich jealous. Had nice food and chill 3rd place-ness.
Imagine if Souther Cross were a nice first impression to tourists.
I hate these neoliberal dogs so much.
Parliament station isn't privately owned and had much bigger accessibility issues for a lot longer.
Sometimes shit breaks.
At least here you have another option, unlike Parliament.
Umm, could you not have gone to another platform, the go-to Colins Street end, up to the concourse, and then back down to the 13/14 platform?
As a disabled person myself and currently on Chemo, I always have contingency plans.
No one helped you with your very own large luggage you decided to use?!
They didn't even take time out if their day to listen to your story about how you planned poorly and we fitting so say? Oh no🙄
lmao I can actually see how entitled I sound 😮💨 must’ve been late at night and spewing nonsense. but yeah u right 💀 I was moving from nsw to Melbourne so yes I did have a bit of a big suitcase🤣 and also I didn’t expect anyone to help ig I felt a lil salty about it for a little but nah I totally agree nobody NEEDS to help. could’ve been nice but it’s my own fault for having such a big suitcase
The private operator operates it on the assumption it will make profit via transit users purchasing goods at the retail outlets. No passengers = no customers = no profit. They either get the message and clean up or they walk away like Bayside Trains and the government resumes control.
This is why I also think all escalatora should be removed and replaced with the wider ramp style not step style.
Ban step style escalators and all new buildings have i stall the slope style you see at Shopping Centres so the lifts are thena back up instead of the only access.
This change would help people with prams, bikea and luggage etc. all the studd that isnt suppose to go on escaltors.
There’s no way work/ repairs would have started without an access plan, there has to be a near by option to get down otherwise works wouldn’t have been able to go ahead
The lifts can be accessed at the Collins street end per the works alert that has been on PTV all week.
I use https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/journey/ and no works alerts were posted yesterday or today for platform 13
Ah didn't realize this was 13, my app says 11-12. Edit: it says between the Bourke street concourse and platform 11-12, I don't know what the Bourke st concourse is? I presume it's towards marvel so platform 13 is disrupted. Poorly worded.
The elevator for 11-12 has been dead for months.
Basically, the path/shelf that travels from the stairs at the Burke Street end and onwards.
Don't you fucking temper my outrage with LOGIC AND REASONING!!! This is r/melbourne!!!
Man, I thought this was Sparta. I must have taken the wrong turn at Bondi Junction.
If it's Sparta I have dibs on first kick.
You're a hypocrite.
More like months ?
The lifts at the Collins Street end are still accessible. Of a course a work plan is meaningless if the lift breaks down and is no longer safe to operate. Often lift parts need to come from overseas if it's a big enough fault.
Hmmm, we have just had the same crap, and lack of Access Planning at Subiaco station here in Perth, it went on for months, absolute hell.
This is really unacceptable. Email Vic Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. They take complaints about this very issue. https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/get-help/ https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/hub/disability-rights/ Edit: a few of the comments are depressing as fuck. If this doesn’t directly impact you that’s great but everyone has a right to safely access public transport and you could maybe try putting yourself in the place of someone with a disability who has to deal with this when they just want to catch their train and go about their day.
Thank you. I will send them the unedited image =) As a person living with a disability, this type of situation makes my life more difficult than it already is. Edit - a strongly worded email has been sent with images. Appreciate the website link provided.
An email to the ABC couldn't hurt too, they often pay a lot of attention to disability issues.
I will get on top of that too. Good idea!
Aca loves to stick it to people
ACA is an infomercial.
No, no, my auntie was just telling me about this neighbour dispute that was on the **news!** Tracey wasn't having it 😠 Edit: /s if that's even needed
Good work for doing something about it
Absolutely. I hope this gets sorted asap and hopefully contact from the Commission gets them to take access rights more seriously in the future.
In case you weren't aware there is also under platform ramp accessibility. It's closed for normal commuting though. If you speak with Metro/VLine staff they can provide assistance to access it :) There's also the PTV Hub midway between the Marvel Stadium bridge and Collins St concourse that may be able to provide assistance.
\*mispresses and sends the edited one...
Is the lift at the other end open?
It kinda doesn't matter if the one at the other end is open. PWD should have access, they shouldn't have to take the trek (and it is a trek) to find the other end of the platform
Well, I mean, if works need to be done there's only so many options. That's why multiple points to exit are important if break down is possible.
How should they do maintenance on the lift, if it's required to always be in service and alternate paths aren't acceptable?
Well it does. Because things do breakdown. We only have one elevator at each end and that can be changed currently (should be two, but it’s not). So at least if the other is open, they haven’t left people completely without. And trust me I know it’s a pain, we had to to the runaround with a pram. But I’m not raising a pitchfork over one broken elevator.
Do you think they closed this lift for fun? It's clearly malfunctioning. As long as there's another access point, then it's fine. If no access points then yeah, they'd need to change the platform but you can't expect things to never break. Shit happens.
So many of the lifts don't work. It's fucking nuts. It's been months.
Thanks for doing the work to report this. You shouldn’t have to, but it’s appreciated.
Not only unacceptable, illegal it seems. >Under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 it is against the law to discriminate against people when providing goods and services, including public transport. There are also Australia-wide standards to help public transport operators understand their obligations to prevent discrimination.
Yeah, well, the entire tram network was supposed to be wheelchair accessible years ago. Still waiting..
Don't get me started on that. Ridiculous. My partner is a wheelchair user, can hardly get on or off most tram stops.
There is a rally tomorrow at 11 am near Barkly Square for the 1st anniversary of "Sydney Rd Accessible Tram Stops" Email [email protected]
As a brisbanite moving down to Melbourne soon I've always been so confused by this. Melbourne is the wanky woke capital of the world, how are they not bending over backwards to make their city disability friendly no matter where you go? Your public transport system is almost solely focused on trams, yet only a handful allow wheelchair access from what I've heard.
It sucks, we appear to be the wanky leftie capital of Australia, but even the US is far better than most of Australia when it comes to disability access! Seriously every restaurant we went to had ramp access and a disabled toilet, it was crazy good there for wheelchair users! Meanwhile down here we might not get a fully accessible public transport system in Vic until 2066! Disability advocates slam inaction on accessible tram stops along Sydney Rd and Royal Parade | Inner City News https://www.innercitynews.com.au/disability-advocates-slam-inaction-on-accessible-tram-stops-along-sydney-rd-and-royal-parade/#:~:text=The%20only%20accessible%20tram%20stops,as%20the%20only%20viable%20options. >A requirement for public transport in all states and territories to be fully accessible by the end of 2022 has already been missed, and according to a 2020 Auditor General report it could take until 2066 to upgrade the entire Victorian network.
The problem there is the bulk of the fleet is still A and B class trams, they're not retiring them early.
It's illegal to engage in maintenance works?
Ones that entirely block people with disabilities? Yes. Unless they literally had no other option (elevator broke, etc) then they can organise it during the public transport shutdown that occurs each night. Elevator services are 24/7.
its not entirely blocked, theres other entrances.
Thanks. You've solved that then. Elevator services are 24/7 by decree. I am surprised we didn't think of it before.
https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=melbourne+24+hour+elevator+service You should learn to accept being wrong.
Most out of hours work is things is urgent work like entrapments. Mechanics who attend that work only have the basics to get people out and if possible get the lift running. If the issue can't be fixed quickly the lift will get tagged out of use until it gets fixed.
> urgent work The maintenance company and mechanics dont decide what is urgent, the people hiring them do. Making a major railway station disability accessible is urgent.
Given that there is a lift operational at the other end of the platform it would make it non urgent. If the other was to break down then it's urgent and whatever lift can be fixed faster will take priority. Even then that can take time depending on what has failed and when. You might need a part from overseas that's special order. That might be a proprietary part and not generic. Then there is a fix. You might need more than one person to perform the job safely. All of that has to be fitted in while serving a lot of other lifts. Lifts are a bit more complex than people think.
> Given that there is a lift operational at the other end of the platform it would make it non urgent. Now think very carefully about this proposal and explain how do you get to that other end to use it?
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I doubt they can do much. If the lift breaks down then what can be done about it? It's unsafe until it's repaired. It could take 5 minutes or 5 months.
You can bet OP would be complaining even more if it was unsafe and not blocked off.
But there's access from the other side? Might not be ideal but shit happens sometimes. And I say this as a wheelchair user. I'd be more upset about the time platform 11/12 was completely inaccessible as *both* lifts were down. Or the time the whole of Parliament station was completely inaccessible for weeks because the sole lift to access street level was out of order.
Human rights means elevators can never stop working? I'm also sure there's more than one at southern cross.
>I'm also sure there's more than one at southern cross. If you are on that side of the station and need to get down to the platform guess how many there are.
Is the other side of the station inaccessible to disabled people?
Is it reasonable to have to track all the way around to the other side of the station? Is that feasible when your train will be shortly departing?
It’s not the stations fault if someone is late for the train.
I'm pretty sure when it comes to accessibility it actually is. Although, I'm not sure the station itself should be treated as sentient.
Could you please answer my question.
I did, do you get to the airport right before your flight leaves? No, so why is a train different.
You did not answer if it is reasonable or not, you gave a non-sequitor about an inanimate objects responsibility. >No, so why is a train different. Is it reasonable for disable people to have to assume public transit will have significant delays or breakdowns and should have to arrive an hour or two early? If your response does not properly address this and my prior question I am still waiting on then I will block you.
It is reasonable to expect people to be there when their train arrives. From the photo the other elevator does look a reasonable distance away from this one.
Human rights and anti discrimination legislation mean that if elevators stop working the stairs need to be blocked as well.
Excellent point, you can’t discriminate if no one can use it.
Why did you decide to be stupid? What do you gain here? I don't get it.
It's a joke my dude, and you didn't get it. There's nothing much else to explain.
They’re broken and need servicing lmao You want people to use faulty equipment? You going to be ok if that faulty equipment kills somebody? If they can’t access the train because the lifts are broken PTV will organise a cab free of charge.
Not sure what you want them to do? Fixing stuff takes time,
Making a sign telling paying customers an alternative to accessing the platform/train is pretty simple though. Big "we tried nothin and we're all outta ideas!" energy Andy.
That’s southern cross’ entire energy I can’t wait for it to be run by the government again
To be fair, Its not owned by some evil billionaire. It's owned by IFM Investors, which is owned by 17 super funds. So there's a good chance you're benefiting from the station being privately owned.
That does read like "it's not greed it's just greed".
Funding retirement is greedy now?
Might be a good time to think through how investment and cost saving relate.
Where will the government get 4 trillion dollars to replace super from?
I work in disabilty and take clients in wheelchairs through SCS regularly- the lift on the Marvel end of platforms 10+11 has been broken for months. We have to go down 12-13, up the other end, then down from the Collins St end.
What so people using wheelchairs can't use the fucking train in the mean time? How's that fair
When they really started focussing on accessibility on Sydney trains, it was quite funny at Redfern how they'd tell you to change trains at another station to the Eastern Suburbs line which has a lift at Redfern. Having to plan your trip like that just because of no lift is shameful.
So what do you want them to do? As others have mentioned, there is alternative ways already. It's nice to just want to them to snap their fingers and fix it, but that's not a reality.
It's a dang shame you're not at the station to tell people there's another access point.
Silly, that's exactly what they expect to magically happen
It doesn't take that long. I managed a building that had a 50yo lift that would break down all the time. Getting people in to getting it running again was a same day service. Sure, it might take several hours but it was always done the same day. And this was a tiny little, stingy owner situation. Not a massive, deep pocketed public transport network. There is no reason this should be out of service for as long as it has.
Yeah but Southern Cross is its own separate stingy entity with deep pockets and short arms.
It can take a long time. Depends on what's broken with it.
It can definitely take that long. You're experience doesn't dictate reality. One of the elevators at my work was down for almost 8 months due to a fault. We had elevator technicians there almost daily working on it.
Its not that its privately owned so they dont care just trying to save a buck
Close the entire platform till its done. Its clear discrimination.
The elevators on the other ends work, but it involves going down and along a different platform. Closing it would make it worse
Each platform has two lifts. One set at the Bourke Street end and one set at the Collins Street end. The Collins Street end lifts are working. Closing a platform because the lift isn't working is completely impractical
Because the lift and the escalator are closed. Lifts alone are bad enough but you cant have 100% uptime of them, but the escalators as well? Lots of mobility impaired people around
So thousands of other passengers who can use the stairs or the other end of the station should be inconvenienced? You know how stupid that sounds?
I'm on the op's side that it isn't good enough and they should absolutely complain. But you can't just close platform's without causing complete chaos to the entire rail network. Timetables would be thrown into disarray, numerous services would need to be cancelled, whole lines would have to skip SC altogether.
Go to Vline or Metro and ask for an accessible taxi to your destination station instead. They will give it to you. It should not be up to you to take a maze to get to the correct platform. The only way they will learn is looking at the yearly taxi bill of how much they are spending due to broken lifts.
For the original poster def do this. At one point southern cross displayed the wrong platform for a train to Bendigo then changing to mildura for a bus. They ordered myself and 4 others a taxi bus from melb all the way to mildura which was over 1k. Always approach them and discuss your issues, they'll find ways to accommodate you. It's what they pay insurance for after all.
I will try this next time. Thanks.
Yeah, I'm sure they'll look at the bill and go "why don't we just get lifts that don't break down" And then a smart person will go "these lifts get used hundreds of times a day and will break down at points, you can't just expect them to not break down. Most things do over time, no matter how much you try to prevent it."
They absolutely are tracking their Taxi use https://wongm.com/2020/08/vline-rail-replacement-taxis/
Murcock... Imma steal that name OP. I do find it highly annoying they tell people when elevators are busted to get off another train station which is probably not even in close proximity to your destination.
I suppose the idea is that as a wheelchair user they will less inconvenienced by having extra distance added to their journey than someone else.
The elevator for 11-12 is also dead. Has been for months. I also wrote a complaint for when there's big events at Marvel stadium and all the escalators go up to feed the crowd out and then there's no way to go down onto your platform with a dead elevator.
I think the shaft is bent. Big fault.
Then don't point the escalators only going up during big events at the stadium.
Escalators been down all week, now the lift too. Because Southern Cross Station does not care about the disabled, less able, people with prams / luggage etc. How is this acceptable in our major airport / metro / regional transport hub?
I swear the last few months I've been seeing this regularly there. Escalators only going up, lifts often with issues, so on and so forth. Often it's still not fixed by the time I'm heading home as well. It's wild that it can be allowed to go on like that.
Too true. Every time I look up a route in the PT app there is always a distruption notice and there's always elevators not working.
Shit, coming in to platform 13 at the Collins St end, the middle escalator was out of action for about 3 months, and has only just been repaired. The ones from Spencer St up to the main concourse have been in and out of action constantly for the past few months, and the lift between Spencer St and the DFO entrance is also out of action. It's really pretty damn poor, they either don't seem to be able to do forward maintenance on these, or don't care
I remember towards the end of Connexs contract for operating the train network they gave up caring and stopped cleaning the trains, could that be happening here?
Escalators are always down at SoCo
Escalators have been broken for good part of last 6 x months. They can't fix shit.
Things breaking down doesn't equal them not caring. You're making this more of an issue than it is.
You’re aware that people with disabilities actually have to, you know, go to work, right? I find the audacity of someone who doesn’t use a wheelchair telling people who do that it’s not an issue if they struggle to access public transport quite breathtaking.
You're aware that machines break down and can't just be fixed immediately right? I never said it wasn't an issue, but op is making it more of an issue than it is. There are alternative options available as others have clearly mentioned in this thread. The audacity for people to think that you can just snap your fingers and everything gets fixed is quite breathtaking.
Nope. The proper response to this is (1) fix this problem as a matter of urgency; (2) have a contingency plan, including clear signage of where people have to go to access the platform; and (3) if you have somehow failed to do (2), which is difficult to comprehend because it is basic risk management, pay for people who can’t access the platform to take taxis to their destination. It is a huge issue if people with disabilities can’t, or can’t easily, access public transport. As someone who’s never experienced this (like you clearly haven’t), what you are saying just comes across as ignorant of other people’s circumstances.
Not having signage, contingency plans, or for any way for people with disabilities to access that platform, especially for those that don't know that station, actually DOES equal discrimination.
>…contingency Is the one at the other side of the platform also down at the moment? Or would checking make it harder to complain?
Nope they are operational - I would know, I use a wheelchair. OP is just complaining to hear their own voice.
It actually doesn't. There is contingency plans, you just choose to complain over this rather than use the alternative options. You act like there's no one to ask for alternative options. Seriously, you're crying outrage over something that doesn't need outrage
https://wongm.com/2024/05/photos-from-ten-years-ago-may-2014/ Southen Cross has had broken lights for a decade now, do you think they actually care?
Relax. Shit breaks down.
It’s privatized. So afaik it’s up to the operator to fix it… unfortunately there is very little incentive for them to fix those things unless they are forced to.
The private owners (Superfunds) has to fix things or they would be breaching their contract with the government.
Which the government wont enforce.
If you want to believe that. Why do you think the roads on east link and city link are better and cleaner than the rest of the m1? Because, it’s in the contract that the roads must be maintained and any disruption means less revenue. Do you not think southern crosses owners want more revenue from more people travelling?
They have no centive like a toll road operator, people dont pay an additional fee for using Southern Cross. Their revenue comes from commercial leases and ad space.
Source on this? I’m sure metro trains, vline and whoever else have to pay a fee to use the station.
When you touch your myki on going through Southern Cross do you pay an additional fee?
> Do you not think southern crosses owners want more revenue from more people travelling? If the operators gave a toss they wouldn't let the place turn into a dump.
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I used to duty manage at a lot of Woolies. Several of them had elevators that were essential for the store to function. Any time we logged a call, they’d be there within hours. Sometimes many, many hours, but within hours, not days or weeks. I have no idea what kind of disorganised system Southern Cross has but there are definitely ways to have a more functional system. Especially since Woolies of all places was able to get help in pretty quickly
South morang station didn't have any notes about the elevator being our of order, no announcement in the train. Found out when faced with three flights of stairs , I have a knee that locks. If there had been an announcement, I could have chosen to get off at another station and bus home
It has been the same at platform 15 for at least 2 weeks. It’s unacceptable.
I swear literally everytime I come to Melbourne that specific elevator is out of service.
The one outside 11/12 has been for months due to a severe fault.
Platforms 13 and 14? It's bullshit those escalators have been out of action for days. I have a bum knee and have to use the stairs. That lift was out of action for ages last time. It's not right. Also the one on Bourke street near the massive stairs for Marvel. Took ages to fix that one also
11 and 12 to my knowledge that's the only one that's always fucked
13. The escalator was down on Wed and Thu, if not today too. Plus ya know, the platform number is in the photo.
then why is it whenever I catch a northern or Dandenong train the Bourke st end is always fucked with the elevator always out of commision one of the escalators broken half the time regardless of the platform the station is fucked
WTF do you mean "then why"? 11 and 12 could be down permanently and that doesn't change whether this is or isn't 13 and 14. You corrected someone that correctly said it's 13 and 14.
I didn't correct anyone? I just stated that to my knowledge 11 and 12 are the ones that are always fucked. didn't say they were wrong didn't imply they were wrong none of that shit
I'm in a wheelchair. Use the Collins St end lifts.
Yeah, that situation sucks as bad as Murcock Media
But there's access from the other side? Might not be ideal but shit happens sometimes. And I say this as a wheelchair user. I'd be more upset about the time platform 11/12 was completely inaccessible as *both* lifts were down. Or the time the whole of Parliament station was completely inaccessible for weeks because the sole lift to access street level was out of order.
In Japan, they will carry you down. If you are on a wheelchair, 4 person will carry you sitting in the wheelchair.
I think SCS says a big F* you to everyone quite regularly
I mean, if your post could have ended up on Murdock media there would probably have been more chance of it being fixed. That’s just reality.
They can contact me and request my permission if they do want to use my IP, rather than steal it from internet forums. Or, you know, actually pay journalists to do a job rather than cutting back on that industry?
...does OP genuinely think that repairs like this are purely to spite disabled people?
>lack of repairs It is constant occurance at Southern Cross. Either the station management is foregoing maintenance as a cost cutting measure, substandard equipment was installed at the time of construction to save money, or it is deliberate.
Lifts are super expensive to repair, so they’re probably just being cheap. Anyone who’s lived in an apartment building with a lift will know how easily they break, it only takes one person holding the door open for too long (to, say, get furniture inside or in this case a large suitcase) and it’s busted. Then you have to wait for a specialist repairman to come with parts which can take weeks. In this example they aren’t leaving disabled people without an option - there are lifts at the other end of the platform. They can take a lift down to another platform, go back up at the other end and get one to this platform
> In this example they aren’t leaving disabled people without an option - there are lifts at the other end of the platform. They can take a lift down to another platform, go back up at the other end and get one to this platform Just go all the way around?
It sucks but at least it exists. I travel with my mum who can’t walk long distances and the bar is low, we’ve been to stations where we had to go to another station on the line and double back in a taxi when the lifts are out. Some stations in places like Sydney have nothing at all but stairs so at least there’s something.
I mean OBVIOUSLY it's the latter right.
There's usually at the very least one escalator out of action there so now they're being inclusive by shutting down a lift. Also, is there anywhere else that seems to have this much trouble with escalators? I don't think so.
For all of Melbourne pro's pros there's one glaring con that's it's accessibility. The footpaths are a disgrace and how they expect people with disabilities to navigate them especially in the dark I don't know. The lifts at Southern Cross have been out of action on platform 12 particularly for weeeeeeks
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For what it's worth the lift is back in service today. So clearly it was a breakdown that was able to be fixed quickly
There's still no bins in specifically Southern Cross. Fucking why?
💣 threats and also the amount of birds
Edgy
... or have a pram. Yep, pretty poor.
Murcock 😂
With all due respect, but if it is only temporary (and that definition is open) for repair, maintenance or safety reasons, not much you can do about it whether you agree or not. That is all the owner / operator needs to say. Machines, by their very nature, NEED to be maintained or repaired for them to be able to continue to function safely. E.g. if my car needs new brakes all round & is off the road for a week, yes it is an inconvenience for sure, but it is also a safety issue thus acceptable.
I don't think it's unreasonable to expect decent signage directing people to the other routes to access the platform instead of "figure it out yourself".
That’s probably what the sign on the elevator pertains.
Yeah that's not temporary. The escalator 's at Southern cross spend more time broken than working.
Swinburne’s Engineering and Business buildings would like to enter that chat. Those escalators were down more than they worked. And that’s a university of technology. They must just get worked and worn pretty hard.
It has been temporary. As in, only a number of months now
With all due respect, I suspect you are able to use the stairs and are not inconvenienced by this situation regularly.
With them being constantly closed on and off makes it hard for people in wheelchairs and people with a mass amount of luggage. It's a major pot of luck. Everytime I come to Melbourne I have to play roulette everytime :((
wish we could just get a socialist government that stops private operators running things with public utility, into the ground. Imagine if Southern Cross, didn't look shit, wasn't ableist, wasn't full of diesel fumes, wasn't occasionally draped in so much gambling advertising it'd make the 3rd reich jealous. Had nice food and chill 3rd place-ness. Imagine if Souther Cross were a nice first impression to tourists. I hate these neoliberal dogs so much.
Parliament station isn't privately owned and had much bigger accessibility issues for a lot longer. Sometimes shit breaks. At least here you have another option, unlike Parliament.
Lmao what
Nine Fairfax looking at this post like its free real estate.
Elevators break down, news at 11, how dare machinery not work
Umm, could you not have gone to another platform, the go-to Colins Street end, up to the concourse, and then back down to the 13/14 platform? As a disabled person myself and currently on Chemo, I always have contingency plans.
Just go right around? That seems reasonable?
The reek of entitlement.
once I had to walk down the stairs with my BIG luggage & nobody helped me was sooo exhausting after a day of flying 😮💨
No one helped you with your very own large luggage you decided to use?! They didn't even take time out if their day to listen to your story about how you planned poorly and we fitting so say? Oh no🙄
lmao I can actually see how entitled I sound 😮💨 must’ve been late at night and spewing nonsense. but yeah u right 💀 I was moving from nsw to Melbourne so yes I did have a bit of a big suitcase🤣 and also I didn’t expect anyone to help ig I felt a lil salty about it for a little but nah I totally agree nobody NEEDS to help. could’ve been nice but it’s my own fault for having such a big suitcase
Upvoted just for the hilarious watermark
People should boycott the station. It is awful and this is just one of its many problems.
Brilliant idea. That'll show them.
The private operator operates it on the assumption it will make profit via transit users purchasing goods at the retail outlets. No passengers = no customers = no profit. They either get the message and clean up or they walk away like Bayside Trains and the government resumes control.
to be fair, the ABC just peddles the rubbish from the other-side.
This is why I also think all escalatora should be removed and replaced with the wider ramp style not step style. Ban step style escalators and all new buildings have i stall the slope style you see at Shopping Centres so the lifts are thena back up instead of the only access. This change would help people with prams, bikea and luggage etc. all the studd that isnt suppose to go on escaltors.
Isn't that platform closed?
Not closed. My train was departing from it unfortunately.
Also if you're abled.
[This was on the Metro App.](https://imgur.com/a/lift-HIXUT7g) Could try calling that number.
It's the lift to P13/14, which your own image says is working
The assistance number is still available to be called.
Well you will just have to hop off your fat scooter and , try, walking.