Tasmania’s rail operator TasRail has issued a statement warning the community about unsafe behaviour on the rail corridor, following a significant increase in the number of incidents over the last six months.
TasRail’s internal safety reporting system has compiled statistics revealing that there was a 109% increase in the number of rail corridor trespass incidents across the state between 1 July and 18 December this year.
The number of incidents involving the failure of vehicles to stop at level crossings has risen by 41%, while there has been a 56% increase in vandalism and theft across the network.
TasRail’s acting CEO Stephen Kerrison said that the surge in reckless activity was disappointing and disheartening, after there had been recorded improvements in community-related safety incidents.
“CCTV footage from our locomotives shows motorists stopping at level crossings with activated signals, seeing the approaching train and then proceeding through the crossing. It only takes a couple of minutes for the train to pass through, but these rash decisions to drive in front of a train can result in tragedy,” Kerrison said.
He also revealed that footage existed of mothers pushing prams along railway bridges and of children deliberately walking on to tracks and putting themselves in the path of oncoming trains.
“It will take almost 1000 metres for a locomotive driver to stop a train travelling at 70 kilometres an hour, so there is almost no opportunity for our drivers to avoid a collision,” Kerrison said.
Freight trains will continue to operate over the Christmas and New Year period, and TasRail is urging both motorists and pedestrians to remain alert while near the corridor and obey level crossing signals and warnings.
The operator is working with the Tasmanian Police in analysing CCTV footage and in forwarding relevant information regarding illegal activities on or around the rail corridor.
Tasmania Police acting inspector Luke Moore reminded the community that inattention was one of the leading causes of fatality on the rail network.
“People need to be vigilant and obey traffic laws around railway crossings – it’s for their safety and the safety of other road users,” Moore said.
“Tasmania Police will continue to act on reports of illegal behaviour around the rail corridor, such as tampering with level crossing equipment, failure to observe level crossing signals and signs, placing obstructions on the track and trespass.”
TasRail is calling on members of the public to contact them or the police if they see any unauthorised activity on the rail corridor.