Sydney’s Denistone Station has entered a new era with the completion of vital accessibility upgrades, while honouring the site’s history.
The upgrade includes two new lifts connecting the station entry to the platforms, while accessible paths from the new lifts to the boarding assistance zones have been upgraded.
New station canopies and accessible seating have been installed on both platforms, while handrails have been adjusted to meet current standards.
A commuter drop-off space has been established on Gordon Crescent, along with a new accessible parking space. Footpaths to the station have also been regraded to accessible standards.
Two new accessible bathrooms are now operational within the existing station building, along with upgrades to CCTV, lighting and wayfinding.
Transport for NSW also responded to community requests to see the station’s Inter-War style with art deco influences retained, reinstating the heritage awning at the entrance and windows to the platform waiting room.
Opening day at the new station will see a smoking ceremony, Red Set vintage train rides and a free sausage sizzle for residents and visitors.
Member for Bennelong Jerome Laxale said while Denistone was a small station, it had an incredible history.
“It’s served commuters for over 85 years, but now for the first time, it will be fully accessible for everyone,” he said.
“We’ve had to campaign long and hard for every accessibility upgrade in the Ryde area. Residents in Denistone have been advocating for this upgrade since before I joined Ryde Council in 2012, now they will be able to make the most of these improvements.”
Meanwhile, brand-new lifts have opened at Canterbury Station as upgrades continue to roll out to convert 10 stations along the T3 Bankstown line to metro standards.
In addition to new lifts, commuters at Canterbury Station are benefiting from new stairs with canopies to get them from the station’s concourse to platform levels, a refurbished plaza area and a new pedestrian ramp to further enhance accessibility at the 128-year-old station.
In the coming months, work at the station will commence on the installation of the mechanical gap filler technology which will bridge the gap between the train and platforms to allow seamless access to metro trains for all commuters.
New lifts will also be operational at Punchbowl, Hurlstone Park and Dulwich Hill before the end of the year, making the stations fully accessible for the first time.
Approximately 70 lifts and 130 escalators will be installed on the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project, from Chatswood into the city and beyond to the southwest.
When the Bankstown to Sydenham section of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest opens in 2025, Canterbury Station will have modern, fast and reliable metro services to Central Station in 16 minutes and to Chatswood in 31 minutes, with interchange no longer required to reach stations in Sydney’s north.
