MP Paul Toole announced on Monday, October 16, that the two limited stop services to Central would have an extra station added to their timetable.

The new ‘Lithgow Express’, which will make a daily return trip from Central to Lithgow, via Westmead, from November 26, is expected to leave Central at 8.50am and arrive at 11.17am in Lithgow and leave Lithgow at 1.18pm and arrive in Central at 3.48pm. 

The Bathurst Bullet is also expected to stop at Westmead from November 26.

Mr Toole said adding Westmead to the two limited services that run from Lithgow to Sydney, was a big win for Lithgow residents. 

“People in the greater Lithgow area have been asking for better access to services at the Westmead Health Precinct and that’s what the New South Wales government is delivering today.”

The hospital is a six minute walk from Westmead Station. 

“It’s also going to make a big difference that it has limited stops,” Mr Toole said. 

South Bowenfels resident Kathleen Compton has been lobbying the state government and local ministers to return Westmead to the Blue Mountains Line’s weekday service.

The stop was removed from all of the line’s weekday trips in October 2013, meaning visitors to Westmead have to change trains or catch a bus from Parramatta Station. 

“At one point I had to go to Westmead Hospital for thirty radio therapy sessions over six weeks,” Ms Compton said.

“I lobbied Paul Toole, the Transport Minister then, who was Gladys Berejiklian, and the Labor opposition. I advocated for myself and the community. People who are travelling there are not well, so it’s important for the community.”

Ms Compton said she ‘celebrated’ the addition of Westmead to two daily return services but said it was not enough. 

“It’s one of the biggest hospital complexes in NSW, it’s not like we are asking for a stop at a small hospital,” she said. 

“People don’t just have treatments on the weekend. And people work there and go to uni there, so the train should stop there.”

Genna Inzitari said the new ‘Lithgow Express’ service will be a plus for her business, the Zig Zag Hotel. 

“From a tourism point of view, we get a lot of the overflow from the Blue Mountains. So for guests staying here it will be a huge benefit that they can get to Katoomba in just 40 minutes.”