DURESS BUTTONS NOT SOLE ANSWER TO RAIL SECURITY

Transport and Main Roads Minister Vaughan Johnson said he was concerned that duress alarms were being proposed as the only answer to rail passenger security.

Mr Johnson said that the Shadow Minister for Transport had yet again misrepresented and twisted the facts to suit his own purpose.

"It appears that the Shadow Minister is in attempting to grab political advantage from an extremely unfortunate situation, by suggesting that every rail passenger would be issued with a personal duress alarm," said Mr Johnson.

Mr Johnson said it is totally impractical to consider the availability of these alarms for every passenger, including casual users, wishing to travel by train.

"The Opposition's proposal to spend well in excess of $7 million to purchase duress alarms may not be the best use of taxpayer funds."

Mr Johnson said that while a recent six month test of duress alarms did provide regular train passengers with an improved sense of safety, the real costs of such a proposal needed to be compared to other security initiatives.

"The extended trial at nine stations over the last six months of 1997 has suggested that duress buttons provide both passengers and staff with an improved sense of safety," said Mr Johnson.

The Minister confirmed that Queensland Rail would call for tenders early this year for the supply and installation of duress buttons across the Citytrain suburban network.

He said that Queensland Rail expected to make a decision whether to proceed with the supply of duress buttons by mid-year after analysing tenders.

Mr Johnson said that there were already a number of very public safety initiatives currently operating on trains and at stations, and that if introduced, the duress buttons may provide additional safety back-up.

"However, it's important to remember that the buttons are just one element of Queensland Rail's extensive range of security initiatives, which include surveillance cameras at stations, special Guardian Trains, improved lighting, emergency help phones and extra security personnel."