Rail safety week 12-18 August 2013

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Rail safety week 12-18 August 2013

Rail Safety Week (RSW) is an Australasian rail industry initiative that sees operators across Australia and New Zealand come together to promote rail safety messages for one week every year. Running from 12-18 August this year, RSW is now in its eighth year and will once again target local communities and the public, encouraging safety around railway lines.

--> http://www.railsafetyweek.com/site/homepage.php

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Aurizon -->  Aurizon train drivers plead with motorists to stop risking their lives

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A train driver's plea: Know when to cross the line

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http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2013/8/15/rail-safety-week-targets-near-misses

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson
Thursday, August 15, 2013

Rail Safety Week targets near misses

The Newman Government is urging all Queenslanders to think rail safety at level crossings and keep off rail corridors as part of Rail Safety Week.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said on average one pedestrian or motorist is gambling with their life at a railway crossing every day.

"Although there had been a 30 per cent decrease in near misses since the launch of the Crosses campaign in 2012, there were still 351 near misses on the network last year," Mr Emerson said.

"People pushing through pedestrian security gates, or racing past lowering boom gates in their vehicle to save a few minutes are risking their lives.

"We recently saw a person hanging off the side of a rail bridge on the Beenleigh line as a train rushed past.

"Not only are they risking their own lives but putting enormous pressure on train drivers who can't swerve or stop quickly.

"The reality is, 351 Queenslanders came close to paying the ultimate price and perhaps taking other lives with them at a railway crossing last year."

Anyone caught carelessly damaging level crossing infrastructure will also have to pay to fix it with $330,000 recovered in 2012-13, up from $125,000 the previous year.

In 2012, there were also 5,500 reports of trespass and illegal track crossings, with 5,133 occurring near train tracks in South East Queensland.

Mr Emerson said Queensland Rail was ramping up the safety reminders during Rail Safety Week.

"Trains can travel at speeds of 140 kilometres per hour, and you can almost guarantee if there is a collision, you will come off second best," he said.

Pedestrians and motorists will be reminded about railway crossing safety through announcements on board trains, station posters and signage, information on the Queensland Rail website, and billboards at railway crossing hotspots such as Coopers Plains and Virginia.

For further information, please visit www.queenslandrail.com.au (external site) or facebook.com/QueenslandRail.