Article: Queensland Rail alarm at level crossing scares

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Queensland Rail alarm at level crossing scares

Queensland Rail alarm at level crossing scares
Article from: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

By Ainsley Pavey

March 29, 2009 12:00am

BRISBANE trains had 17 near-misses with pedestrians and cyclists this month, including five near-misses in one day last week, new figures show.

Queensland Rail chief executive officer Lance Hockridge lashed out at people who crossed train level crossings without obeying warning signs, saying "some people just don't get it", despite all the publicity surrounding level-crossing incidents and rail safety and despite the risks to their lives and others.

In one of the most serious incidents this month, a train driver was forced to activate emergency brakes at Sunshine station on Brisbane's northside after a train passenger got off the train and crossed in front of another travelling at 90km/h.

The driver was left badly shaken by the March 17 incident after the passenger got off one train and pushed his way through a set of closed pedestrian gates, walking into the path of the other train.

The driver sounded his horn before using the emergency brakes to stop.

According to the figures, southeast Queensland troublespots included the northwest Brisbane suburb of Mitchelton, and Holmview, near Beenleigh.

Mr Hockridge pleaded with pedestrians to take care, "not only for their own safety but for the effect an accident would have on their friends, neighbours and the wider community." He said QR had stepped up efforts to improve awareness of level-crossing safety, including rolling out additional widespread community education campaigns.

"QR takes every opportunity to reinforce the crucial safety message to prevent more tragedies occurring," he said. "We run extensive community education campaigns across the state to raise awareness of the need for care at level crossings, by pedestrians and motorists."

The State Government currently is looking into red-light cameras and security cameras at level crossings.

[ozbob]

Memo:

To: Citizens of Australia

WAKE UP! 

[stephenk]

Looking at the sites involved, it looks like some incidents are caused where someone turns up too close to the departure time and can't access the platform as the pedestrian crossing is shut for that train or a train running in the opposite direction. Other cases may be when the person involved is in a rush (or just impatient) to leave the platform.

I'm pretty sure it is an offense to obstruct a railway, and cross at shut crossings. However catching the offenders would be very difficult for safety reasons.

[Derwan]

Don't they have cameras at these crossings?

Time to have "idiot walls" at the stations involved showing stills of people who push the gates open to cross.  They'll soon stop it!