The first three fully-accessible bus stops in Orange and Nashdale have been approved.
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They will be located near Bunnings on Leeds Parade, in Allenby Road and at the intersection of Cargo Road and Nashdale Lane.
Rick Colless, the Parliamentary secretary for western NSW, announced on Friday $30,000 from the state government’s Country Passenger Transport Infrastructure Grants Scheme would be provided for their construction.
“All projects are required to meet the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport,” he said.
“The primary focus is to improve accessibility, including the installation of guidance tools for customers with vision impairment and wheelchairs.”
Orange mayor Reg Kidd said the two Orange shelters were installed in areas of “growing need” for bus passengers.
“In this area, [there is] the university just up the road, Bunnings, McDonalds, Waratahs in a big suburb and the other one at Kinross, on Allenby Rd, you’ve got a medical centre over there, the school, and that is a great need,” he said.
Cr Kidd said the buses were under-used.
“We want to encourage people to use public transport,” he said.
“We’ve got terrific public transport here in Orange but unfortunately not enough people use it.
“You are not going to stand out in Orange winters in those areas if you’re waiting for a bus.”
Cr Kidd said the next area of concern would probably be Orange hospital.
“We keep talking about congestion out at the hospital, but there is a free bus that runs out to the hospital, but not enough people are using that free bus service,” he said.
“If it’s a matter of shelters that are required, whatever it is we want to hear about it, it could be something we look at next.”
He said that while they were the first fully-accessible bus stops in Orange there was room for more assistance for people with disabilities.
“We’ve got a long way to go but I think this is all part of seeing what we can do going forward. We are going in the right direction,” he said.
He said people should contact council’s ageing and access committee on improving accessibility.
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David Fitzsimons
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
