Petition to Restore Rail Services (Auburn Review 12/11/2013)
MORE than 450 people have signed an online petition calling for the State Government to restore train services on the Inner West Line between Lidcombe and Liverpool following the introduction of new timetables last month.
Berala resident Roy Ng started the petition, which also asks for more direct trains from Liverpool to the city via Lidcombe, less interchanges for commuters - especially at Birrong Station, and less overcrowding of trains at Lidcombe Station.
The 20-year-old is a student at a university in the city, and said there was no political motive behind the campaign and that he and many of his friends were just frustrated by the changes.
A train commuter for 10 years, Mr Ng said under the timetable introduced on October 20, it was faster for him to walk from Berala to Lidcombe Station than to wait 30 minutes for a train at Berala Station.
"For some people, their language skills meant that they couldn't express how they felt about the timetables," he said.
"We want to get 500 signatures.
"Travel times have increased unfairly with a reduction of train services.
"The changes forcing Regents Park bound commuters to change at Lidcombe place extra travel pressures on the elderly, students and other members of the community.
"These changes also result in more congestion at Lidcombe Station as there will be increased commuters alighting for city services."
For more information on the campaign, visit restoreinnerwestline.blogspot.com.au or sign the petition online at bit.ly/RestoreInnerWestLine.