Ministerial Statement: Plan for cameras to keep close eye on motorists ...

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
07/12/2008

Plan for cameras to keep close eye on motorists at rail level crossings

The Queensland Government is considering the introduction of cameras at selected rail level crossings as a move to further improve safety.

The move arises from a trial of closed circuit television cameras installed at a level crossing with boom gates on Brisbane's southside earlier this year.

Transport Minister John Mickel said QR would examine an expansion of the trial to other level crossings, with the possible inclusion of red light cameras to snap motorists who ignore flashing warning lights.

Mr Mickel said QR had become aware of worrying behaviour by motorists negotiating the level crossing on Boundary Road, Coopers Plains, where the closed circuit television cameras had been installed.

"Motorists were entering the crossing while the warning lights were flashing, and some ended up queuing across the crossing during peak traffic periods," he said.

"Other motorists were more determined to ignore the flashing lights and lowered boom gates, and deliberately tried to drive around them.

"In a number of cases, vehicles struck and damaged the boom gates in trying to get through the crossing.

"Cameras were installed on either side of the crossing to monitor and identify patterns of driver behaviour.

"For this particular crossing, counts of vehicles illegally entering the crossing prior to the cameras going were not performed. Anecdotally, however, the cameras have had a definite impact on drivers' behaviour, as some can see that they are being monitored.

"The camera vision is monitored at train control, which can alert train drivers to unsafe situations such as cars queued across the level crossing."

Mr Mickel said QR would consult with other agencies including police, Queensland Transport and Main Roads about the installation of the closed circuit television cameras and potentially red light cameras at other level crossings in Queensland.

"With the improvement and affordability of camera technology, there is potential to roll out closed circuit television cameras in regional Queensland, piggy-backing onto existing communications networks used for signalling and train control," he said.

"Red light cameras involve more complex technical and operational requirements, and their suitability for use at level crossings will be discussed with police. The red light cameras would enable motorists who broke the law by not stopping level crossing flashing lights to be issued with a traffic infringement notice."

Mr Mickel said QR also planned to work more closely with police to conduct blitzes at level crossing throughout the state.

Facts and research

    * Research conducted by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau shows most collisions at level crossings involving a train and road user or pedestrian happen as a result of motorist or pedestrian error.
    * More than 80 per cent of fatal accidents at railway level crossings in Australia happen in daylight, in fine weather and on straight, dry roads. The majority of all accidents occur despite warning systems being in place.
    * Of the level crossing collisions on QR tracks in the past seven years, 98 per cent of collisions were directly attributable to the road user.
    * On average in Queensland there are 17 collisions a year between road users and trains at rail level crossings,
    * In 2007-2008 there were 16 incidents with 12 of these occurring at level crossings with flashing lights, boom gates or both.

7 December 2008

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[Derwan]

If the State Government refuses to address the issue properly by replacing all level crossings with over/underpasses - this is at least something and should be implemented on all level crossings.

Vehicles where the driver is clearly ignoring the warning lights should have stills taken and infringement notices issued exactly as they would if it was a red light or speed camera.

What I have never understood is why standard traffic lights aren't installed at level crossings.  They would turn yellow - then red - clearly identifying when it was an infringement to proceed.  With the current warning system, you're supposed to stop if you can - so there isn't a clear point when proceeding becomes and infringement.

[O_128]

i will try and get a picture of the lindum crossing here is a arial view though.

[img][Untitled123/img]

Admin.

Mario, you need to put the url of the image between the image tags.

Like this [img]  url of image [/img]