Lead Design Contractor - DDA Stations Upgrade Stirling, Leederville, Claisebrook, City West, Guildford and East Guildford

Background

The Public Transport Authority (PTA) has a responsibility to ensure that public transport services are accessible to seniors and people with disabilities. Also, the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (DSAPT) which is a subordinate legislation of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) outlines the federal requirements to ensure all public transport systems are accessible to all potential users.

According to schedule 1 of the DSAPT, PTA should ensure 100% compliance for all transport services including infrastructure (except the form of conveyance i.e., trains and trams) by 31st December 2022. In 2016, a DSAPT audit was carried out by PTA to identify the level of compliance of each station. It was revealed that most of the stations have a compliance rating value of below 90%. Even though the compliance with the DSAPT is self-regulatory, PTA must comply with the requirements to ensure that the agency is defended against complaints and claims of discrimination.

Due to non-compliance of stations, PTA carries out temporary measures to provide required public transport services to the people with disabilities. This Passenger Assistance Program comes under the Equivalent Access Program of the agency. It is noted that high operating costs are incurred by the PTA in implementing temporary measures to address DDA concerns.

To address the primary problem of non- compliance and secondary problem of heightened operating costs, manifested by the primary, government funding has been allocated to undertake station upgrades to bring stations compliance levels up to 100% to meet regional and federal requirements.

Scope of Services

The scope of works is for the lead designer and required sub-consultants to collaboratively work with the project team to progress development of concept designs (15% design) to bring them up to 100% compliance with DDA requirements for the six major works stations which are as follows:

• Stirling;
• Leederville;
• Claisebrook;
• City West;
• Guildford; and
• East Guildford.

The project scope will include some but not necessarily all of the following at each station:

• Resurfacing existing platforms – paving, drainage and conformance to current earthing and bonding standards;
• Platform edge angle adjustments to reduce the gap between the platform and train floor and provision of tactile ground indicators for the visually impaired;
• Electrical infrastructure works;
• Ramps and handrails to meet Universal Access and DSAPT standards;
• Track works to raise track to the appropriate heights to match platform edge (where required);
• Platform walls replaced as required;
• Minor stations with higher patronage may have platform shelters upgraded;
• New stainless steel seating;
• Pedestrian crossings at grade (where required);
• Platform lighting upgrades;
• Bike facilities, including associated paths;
• Signage;
• Bus facilities where integrated;
• CCTV;
• Fencing where deficient or significantly detracting from the station amenity; and
• Bus replacement during construction phases or station closure.