State Member for Wallsend, Ms Sonia Hornery MP, has called on the Minister for Transport to prevent the removal of the Opal Card top up and single trip ticket machine at Beresfield Train Station, which will leave some commuters unable to access the train network.
Transport for NSW are advising customers that the ticket machine will be removed in the coming weeks, leaving the entire area without access to a machine.
Anyone who turns up on the weekend or after hours will no longer be able to purchase a ticket, as the nearest Opal Card retailer is the local newsagency who have limited operating hours on weekends.
Customers can now use their credit card to tap on and off but that doesn’t help families who are travelling together.
Quotes attributable to Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery
“The removal of the Opal Card top up and single trip ticket machine from Beresfield Train Station will really hurt the people in the Beresfield and Tarro area.”
“The removal of the machine will prevent anyone who needs to top up their Opal Card or needs to make a last minute trip on the local rail network.”
“We are unfairly treating anyone who doesn’t have a credit card or the ability to get online and use the system.”
“The suburbs are isolated and train or bus travel is the only option for many. If they can’t top up their Opal Card or purchase a ticket then they will be left stranded or forced to risk using transport without a valid ticket.”
“A quick scan of the Opal Card website shows that Thornton and Tarro Train Stations don’t have ticket or top up facilities. The nearest ticket machine is more than 8kms away in East Maitland and the nearest Opal Card top up is a petrol station, which is a 1.5km walk in each direction.”
“I am asking the Minister not to take the machine away and leave Beresfield and Tarro residents without an option to purchase a ticket or top up their Opal Cards.”