I RECENTLY met with residents of Thornton who shared with me a problem that’s been going on for far too long; the lift connecting their community to Penrith Station has broken down multiple times this year.

At first glance, it might seem like a minor inconvenience. Lifts break down, maintenance happens, life goes on. But when that lift is the only means of accessing the train platform for people in wheelchairs, parents with prams, or anyone unable to tackle the steep staircase, it’s more than an inconvenience.

Local resident Kevin Finlayson knows this all too well. Returning home late one night from the city, he arrived to find the lift once again out of service. With no alternative way across, Kevin had no choice but to travel in his wheelchair all the way up to Castlereagh Road to get road access over the railway tracks to Thornton.

I asked Kevin if he had raised the issue with authorities. 

“I’ve been everywhere, mate,” Kevin told me. “This has been a four-year project for me and nobody wants to listen. They’re all aware of it. We have a big disability community here, as well as a lot of elderly people. People want to get to work, and to medical appointments.”

His frustration at inconsistent access is shared by many. One resident pointed out the sheer number of people in the Thornton precinct living with disabilities or chronic health conditions.

“People here with disabilities love to work and contribute,” he said. “They look forward to going to work. Imagine the disappointment when they wheel up to the lift to start their day and it’s out of order. Then they have to call their boss and explain that they can’t get to work because there’s no other way to get on the platform.

I can relate to how embarrassing it would be to call in late to a job you’ve just started. Now imagine how that feels for someone who has already fought through significant barriers just to get that job, only to be stopped by something as basic as a broken lift.

Resident Jen says the issue affects more than just those with mobility aids. “It affects the whole community here,” she said. “People with luggage, parents with prams – everyone. The lift has broken at least two dozen times. 

“They announced once that it would be out for five to seven days. Without Kevin, doing what he did to arrange for a shuttle bus, they would have done absolutely nothing. It was Kevin constantly pushing it.”

Local resident Michelle said when the lift breaks there aren’t always wheelchair taxis available. 

 “One lady had to miss a doctor’s appointment she’d been waiting months for. The lifts are always breaking here and there needs to be another option.”

And that’s the real issue – there is no Plan B.

We all understand that lifts can fail from time to time. Machines break. Maintenance takes time. But having no alternative accessible route is ludicrous.

It’s 2025, and accessibility shouldn’t still be an afterthought.

Surely there are solutions, or at least ideas worth exploring. Could a secondary lift be installed that remains locked until needed? Could a ramp be built? Could the government work with hotel developers who are building as we speak to allow an emergency access point when the main lift is down?

I don’t have all the answers, but what’s clear is that someone with the power to fix this needs to take notice.

Because for people like Kevin, and for the many residents of Thornton who just want to live, work, and travel independently, a broken lift isn’t just a temporary inconvenience. It’s a barrier to inclusion, and it’s one that can and must be fixed.

Your thoughts?  kerrie@nepeannews.com.au