Trucking industry welcomes Victoria’s $33.2m spend on level-crossing safety

<p>The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) and the Transport Workers Union welcomed yesterday (Monday, June 25) the State Government’s intention to spend $33.2m upgrading safety at level crossings and raising public awareness of the issue.</p> <p>In the wake of the Kerang disaster, more than 50 level crossings across Victoria will get early warning systems and rumble strips will be installed at 200 level crossings, premier Steve Bracks said.</p> <p>Driver penalties for level crossing infringements will also rise, from $177 and three demerit points to $430 and four demerit points.</p> <p>VTA chief executive Philip Lovel said: &#8220Safety has always occupied a lot of thinking and action in the transport industry, but in the wake of the tragic accidents which have occurred over recent months, we are doubling our efforts in collaboration with the Victorian Government to concentrate on rapid yet effective safety improvements.&#8221 </p> <p>The VTA said that, together with the Victorian Transport Industry Safety Group, it would work closely with the Government to implement the enhancements and increase awareness of the issue within the road transport industry. </p> <p>&#8220The roads are our members’ workplace and any measures that willimmprove the safety of that workplace will have our support,&#8221 TWU Victorian branch secretary Bill Noonan said.</p> <p>&#8220Many level crossings in country areas were obviously designed a long time ago when road traffic was less and both vehicles and trains traveled at lower speeds.</p> <p>&#8220I hope the Government will remain open to other proposals to improve crossing safety such as re-engineering dangerous crossings.&#8221</p> <p>The initiative came as the ABC reveaied figures showing that V&#47Line train drivers reported six of the nine level-crossing incident to have occurred since a truck hit a V&#47Line train near Kerang, killing 11 people at the start of the month.</p> <p>The other three were reported by Connex in Melbourne.</p> <br />