New data shows that thousands of train passengers across Victoria are put at risk every year due to close calls with pedestrians at level crossings.
The state government is urging Victorians to take care and pay attention when walking near trains or level crossings with the beginning of Rail Safety Week.
The themes this year are ‘Pause your tunes. Look for trains’ and ‘Phone down, look up’.
Last year, there were more than 570 near misses across Metro and V/Line networks that required train drivers to take emergency procedures and stop the train as quickly as possible.
A train travelling at full speed of 110 kph takes more than 400 metres to come to a complete stop and can cause lasting trauma for everyone involved, including employees, their families, passengers, and members of the public who witness the incidents.
Metro Trains chief executive Raymond O’Flaherty said taking risks around trains was a dangerous gamble.
“A moment’s inattention around trains can be devastating. Trains can approach quickly and they can take a long time to stop,” he said.
In 2023 there were almost 3,000 incidents of trespassing on the network, or more than eight per day.
Trespassers cause significant disruptions on the network, and delay thousands of passengers while operators check the line to ensure that it is safe to resume services.
A single trespasser in the City Loop can cause delays for up to 50,000 people.
Information: tracksafefoundation.com.au
