Passenger Rail, Safety, Standards & Regulation

More automatic gates planned for Auckland’s pedestrian rail crossings

Level crossing in Melbourne. Photo: RailGallery.com.au

The New Zealand government has confirmed a further $7.6 million for automatic pedestrian crossing gates for 11 Auckland rail crossings as part of its program to improve safety along the network.

Auckland Transport (AT) is planning safety improvements for all 51 pedestrian rail crossings in Auckland, with automatic gates, grade separations or crossing closures to be delivered over the next five years.

“There have been too many stories of people getting hurt or killed by trains in Auckland. Improving the safety at rail crossings is one of the ways that we can help prevent harm to our kids and families when they’re getting around the city,” Twyford said.

“We know that installing automatic gates at rail crossings saves lives. Since the introduction of automatic pedestrian gates at Glenview Road in Glen Eden and at Metcalfe Road in Ranui, there have been no further records of near misses at these locations.”

Automatic pedestrian gates are activated by a sensor on the tracks and have a safety zone with a locked emergency exit gate. When a train approaches these pedestrian level crossings, the bells sound, red alarm lights flash on and off and the crossing gates close automatically.

Pedestrians caught on the crossing by the closing gates are able to take refuge in the safe zone and exit it by pushing a button that releases the locked exit gate. Locking the emergency gate is to minimise the misuse of the emergency exit gates.

Seven crossings received automatic gate safety upgrades last year along the Western Line, at Metcalfe Road, Glenview Road, Rossgrove Terrace, Asquith Ave and Fruitvale Road, Lloyd Ave and Woodward Road.

Twyford said that the works that have been carried out and are planned were especially important with newer, quieter trains running along the Auckland network making accidents more likely.

“In the 12 months to 31 August, there have been 52 pedestrian near misses at level crossings on AT’s network, with a further 51 near misses recorded in the rail corridor,” the minister said.

The project team will now work towards installing gates at St Georges Road, Chalmers Street, St Judes, Portage Road – projects due to be completed by June, in the current financial year.

A further phase is expected to be completed in the 2019/2020 financial year, and includes Te Mahia, Spartan Road, Takanini, Manuroa, Walters Road, Taka Street and Tirnoui Road.

The funding for the safety upgrades is jointly provided by AT and NZTA. The work to improve level crossing safety within the Auckland area is being carried out jointly by AT and KiwiRail.