Passenger Rail, Safety, Standards & Regulation, light rail

Stay safe around rail, says minister Andrew Constance

Commuters and road users are being reminded to stand back, look up, and stay safe around Sydney’s rail networks this Rail Safety Week.

STAY safe around rail networks is the message from Sydney authorities this Rail Safety Week.

Transport minister Andrew Constance reminded commuter and travellers to stand back, look up, and stay safe.

He said while fewer people were out and about because of the lockdown, new CCTV was a reminder to stay safe and alert around trains, light rail or Metro services.

“This shocking vision shows risky behaviour from drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians around Sydney Light Rail, and commuters putting themselves and others in danger on the Sydney Trains network,” Constance said.

“We need people to stop taking these life-threatening risks. The majority of people are doing the right thing, but there are still those who flout the law and put themselves and others in danger.

“I really urge everyone to be extra careful, even with the current restrictions and fewer people out and about on the network.”

Safety incidents at Sydney railway stations can be viewed here.

Transport for NSW Chief Operations Officer Howard Collins said the 16th Annual Rail Safety Week provides the perfect opportunity to remind customers about remaining safe while travelling on the rail networks, but also pedestrians, drivers and cyclists travelling near the light rail.

“Safety is important every day of the week, but Rail Safety Week helps us raise further awareness about these risks,” Collins said.

“There were 393 near misses on the light rail network in the past year. 165 of these incidents were motor vehicle near misses, 187 involved pedestrians, while 41 were near misses with cyclists. Remember to keep your head up and play it safe around light rail.

“On the Sydney Trains network, there were more than 2,400 safety related incidents reported in the past year. 55 per cent of those were slips and trips, while another seven per cent were people falling through platform gaps.”

Rail Safety Week 2021 runs from Monday 9 August to Sunday 15 August and is led nationally by the TrackSAFE Foundation.

Dangerous incidents near light rail can be viewed here.