Premier’s call for public not to prejudge crossing smash

<p>While a visibly moved Victorian premier Steve Bracks asking the public yesterday (Wednesday, June 7) to avoid prejudging the reasons for the Kerang level crossing disaster, heat in level crosing debate has intensified.</p> <p>Transport Worker’s Union Victoria&#47Tasmania branch secretary Bill Noonan gave short shrift to Queensland University of Technology research, which concluded that many truck drivers did not prepare to stop at level crossings.</p> <p>&#8220It’s absurd to claim that truck drivers would habitually put their lives at risk in this way,&#8221 Mr Noonan said.</p> <p>Questioning the timing of the QUT’s publicity of its findings and describing it as premature, Mr Noonan said it &#8220may result in an unwarranted assumption of guilt on the part of the driver&#8221.</p> <p>Australasian Railway Association chief executive Brian Nye, who is travelling overseas at present, said education and enforcement programs were needed to reduce the death rate at level crossings.</p> <p>&#8220We believe a combination of National Road User Behavioural Programs, higher fines for level crossings infringements, and more and smarter policing is urgently needed to prevent tragedy,&#8221 Mr Nye said. </p> <p>He also encouraged drivers to take the utmost care. &#8221Always expect a train,&#8221 he urged. </p> <p>Brian Canny, director of family-owned Wangaratta trucking company Canny Carrying, gave his condolences to the families of those killed, saying the firm was &#8220absolutely devastated&#8221 and that the driver, Christiaan Scholl, had been with the company for 20 years and was well respected in the industry, as was the firm.</p> <p>Assistant Police Commissioner Noel Ashby said a 25-metre skid mark that veered to the left of the road would help police determine the speed of the truck as it approached.</p> <p>Eleven people died and many people were injured in the wreckage of country train the truck had slammed into and ripped open on Tuesday afternoon at a crossing with warning bells and lights 6 km north of Kerang, in northern Victoria.</p> <p>Victorian Freight and Logistics Council Rose Elphick said it was &#8220way too early&#8221 to comment on the tragedy, though she foresaw a &#8220ripple effect&#8221 from it.</p> <p>She did say that with rail growing as a transport choice, its interface with road transport was an issue that would have to be addressed &#8220above and beyond the passenger network&#8221 and that this had been put to the State Government.</p> <p>Ms Elphick said that it was an issue raised &#8220by a number of our members have raised&#8221 in the council’s recent <em>Freight Forward</em> report.</p> <p>The Victorian Transport Association would not comment as the matter was under police investigation, though it &#8220strongly supported the on-going up-grading of Victorian railway crossings.</p> <br />