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 or facebook.com/QueenslandRail.

Media contact: Andrew Berkman 0429 128 637

A regional breakdown of near miss incidents is available below/overleaf.

Near miss incidents	2011 - 2012	2012 – 2013
South East Queensland	321	199
Gympie/Sunshine Coast	7	4
Wide Bay	6	5
Central Queensland	14	5
Mackay/Whitsunday	8	10
North Queensland	37	33
Far North Qld/Tablelands	16	16
South West Queensland	69	65
Central West Queensland	8	3
North West Queensland	3	11
	489	351