Earl goes to bat with Cairns on rail safety

Chris Cairns with his mother, Sue Wilson, at St-Matthew-in-the-City yesterday. Picture / Dean Purcell

The brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, is coming to New Zealand to back a rail safety campaign headed by cricket great Chris Cairns.

A cricket fanatic, Earl Charles Spencer is a friend of the retired star allrounder, and said he was looking forward to his first visit in nearly 20 years. Cairns, who ended his 16-year international cricket career in February, said he first met the earl in England. "He's crap at cricket - he won't mind me saying that - but he's a good guy and it's great to have someone of his ilk supporting what we are doing."

The Earl will speak at a fundraising dinner being compered by cricket commentator and ex-Australian captain Richie Benaud, and will launch the Chris Cairns Foundation, which aims to raise awareness and funds for greater rail safety in New Zealand.

The issue is a personal one for Cairns, who lost his sister Louise in an accident in August 1993, when a concrete truck ploughed into the train on which she was a passenger. The 19-year-old and three other women died.

The truck driver was found guilty of careless driving causing death and injury and was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and banned from driving for 15 months.

Cairns said the five years after his sister's death were difficult times as he had to focus on his cricket but he was hopeful the profile he achieved in the sport would benefit the campaign.

"I didn't deal with it and for me it was a tumultuous time as a young man because I did submerge myself into my career ... later on I learned that part of that anger was because I didn't grieve.

"Now being able to give back and do something makes me feel good and hopefully, in the memory of my sister, to also make a difference to a country I love," he said.

Cairns and his mother, Sue Wilson, lit candles at St Matthew-in-the-City church in Auckland yesterday for each of the 95 people who have been killed at level crossings since Louise Cairns' death in 1993.

There have been 23 accidents involving motor vehicles and trains to date this year, with two people killed and two others injured.

But the general manager of corporate affairs for Toll New Zealand, Sue Foley, said an incident caught on camera earlier this year - when a van raced through a level crossing just missing a train - highlighted the danger, and having Cairns on board the campaign increased awareness.

She said the number of level-crossing incidents was the lowest for 20 years. "There has been a steady decline but we are going into what is traditionally the worst time, which is from Labour weekend to Christmas," said Ms Foley.

Cairns, who will also walk from Auckland to Rolleston next year as part of the campaign, said it was important tangible results were achieved, such as barriers being erected at risky level crossings.

He said Toll NZ, Ontrack and communities throughout the country all had a part to play but ultimately rail safety boiled down to common sense: "It comes back to the responsibility to make sure they are aware there is a train coming."


Rolling danger

2001: deaths 4, injuries 9
2002: deaths 8, injuries 15
2003: deaths 4, injuries 10
2004: deaths 7, injuries 14
2005: deaths 6, injuries 18