This project was different from our usual work – and incredibly rewarding! Through a personal connection, ENVEE Digital joined a grassroots campaign advocating for essential accessibility upgrades at a Metro train station in Melbourne. This purely non-commercial initiative allowed us to apply professional expertise in strategic planning, technology and communications to support a critical cause. ❤
The Challenge
Ivanhoe Train Station, a key stop in Melbourne’s Metro network, lacked Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSI), making it unsafe and inaccessible for visually impaired commuters like Lilly, a university student and family friend. Despite more than five years of polite emails and calls from Lilly’s family, no progress had been made.
Out of 222 train stations in Melbourne’s Metro network, 196 have TGSI installed, though some only on one side. Ivanhoe was one of the 26 remaining stations without TGSI, creating unnecessary barriers for independent travel.
The Solution
We provided strategic and digital support as part of the campaign team, developing a targeted online strategy to amplify the campaign’s voice while ensuring focus and impact.
Key actions included:
- Collaborating with the campaign team to define a specific, actionable goal: securing TGSI at Ivanhoe to ensure independent travel for Lilly and others.
- Managing behind-the-scenes operations while ensuring Lilly and her family remained the public faces of the campaign to build community trust and engagement.
- Setting up technology to support the petition, including a change.org campaign, which quickly gained traction.
- Crafting and reviewing critical communications to ensure clarity, impact and engagement.
- Facilitating outreach with local media, stakeholders, and decision-makers to highlight the urgent need for accessibility upgrades at Ivanhoe Station.
The Impact
The campaign achieved a major milestone, securing over 10,000 petition signatures and attracting the attention of government officials.
In April 2025, the Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Minister for Public and Active Transport, Hon. Gabrielle Williams, alongside Ivanhoe’s local Member of Parliament, Hon. Anthony Carbines, confirmed that TGSI installation at Ivanhoe Station is scheduled for May 2025.
This decision ensures a safer and more accessible station for Lilly and other visually impaired commuters, demonstrating the power of grassroots advocacy in driving tangible change.
Reflections and Future Directions
This campaign reinforces the importance of defining clear, achievable goals in advocacy efforts. It also highlights how strategic digital initiatives, combined with impactful communication, mobilise support and drive meaningful change.
While this campaign was successful, accessibility challenges persist:
- Twenty-five train stations across Melbourne Metro still lack TGSI.
- The 100-year-old bridge at Ivanhoe Station remains a major barrier for elderly commuters, wheelchair users, parents with prams, shoppers with carts and visually impaired passengers.
Feedback submitted via the petition underscores how these challenges limit access to public transport altogether. The fight for equal accessibility is far from over.
For more information about our services and how we can help your organisation navigate its journey, please get in touch via our Contact page.
