Australia’s V/Line warns rail trespassers

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V/Line, Australia’s largest regional public transport operator, has urged people to be mindful of their safety near railway lines as part of the 2011 Rail Safety Week.

V/Line recorded a 22% increase in the number of trespassers near high-speed trains across the network for the 2010-11 financial year.

At least 98 people risked their lives illegally entering rail reserves for reasons including running to beat or catch the train, taking a short cut, jumping closed pedestrian gates at a crossing, photography, moving animals, equipment or machinery across the tracks.

Trains travelling at speeds up to 160kph can take 900 metres to come to a complete stop.

People need to realise illegally crossing or playing within a rail reserve was similar to playing next to some of Melbourne’s busiest roads and highways, V/Line Chief Executive Officer Rob Barnett said.

“Just because you might think you know the timetable and when a train is due to travel through an area doesn’t mean there won’t be another one,” he said.

“Our trains, including other operated freight, can travel at any time of the day or night and our drivers can’t swerve out of the way.”

Most trespasser incidents predominantly occurred at Melbourne railway stations where 59 people jumped pedestrian gates, level crossings or platforms.

However across regional Victoria there were 13 instances of trespassers on the Geelong & Warrnambool lines, eight on the Traralgon line, seven in the North East (including Shepparton and Albury lines), six on the Bendigo line and six on the Ballarat line.

Of particular concern is where people repeatedly risk their lives running in front of trains at Ballarat and North Shore to get to their cars after departing the train. At Morwell people taking children to school regularly entered the rail reserve attempting to take shortcuts.

“At Ballarat in particular we see people run in front of the train at the Lydiard Street crossing to get to their cars, even though conductors have warned them the train is going to continue to Wendouree,” Mr Barnett said.

“At North Shore we see people departing the platform via the railway tracks to take a short cut of less than 100 metres where there is a designated crossing.”

As part of National Rail Safety Week Australian and New Zealand rail operators, track owners, government bodies, and police come together to promote safety in communities near railway lines.

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