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NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi welcomed a $63,000 fine against KiwiRail for a safety breach.
KiwiRail pleaded guilty to inadequate training after the Te Huia train passed a red signal.
The incident endangered more than 90 passengers and disrupted the Auckland Metro Rail Network.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has welcomed a fine against KiwiRail after a serious safety breach in 2023.
The KiwiRail-operated Hamilton to Auckland Te Huia commuter service failed to obey a red signal in the busy Auckland Metro Rail Network on June 17, 2023.
This incident endangered more than 90 passengers and disrupted the Auckland network.
The $63,000 fine was imposed during sentencing in Manukau District Court today.
KiwiRail pleaded guilty to one charge alleging that it did not provide appropriate training for its personnel.
“As the regulator for rail safety in New Zealand, NZTA’s prosecution was taken to address a specific, identified risk in order to protect public safety,” said Gini Welch, NZTA national manager, rail safety regulation.
NZTA said it would not hesitate to take action, including prosecution, in relation to breaches of the Railways Act 2005.
“We welcome the sentence handed down today as a reminder to all licensed rail operators of the importance of ensuring appropriate training for their staff as a critical part of managing safety risks on the network,” she said.
KiwiRail chief infrastructure officer Siva Sivapakkiam said: “KiwiRail treats safety seriously. We regret this incident and apologise again to all those whose travel was disrupted as a result of it.
“This was a serious incident, and we do not want to diminish that in any way but I want the public to know that as soon as the SPAD [signal passed at danger] occurred, all the signals in the area went red.
“This resulted in all trains in the surrounding area stopping, so there was no likelihood of a collision.”
After the incident, Sivapakkiam said KiwiRail improved the training regime of Te Huia engineers to ensure they have more familiarity with the Auckland routes.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is welcoming a fine against KiwiRail after a serious safety breach in 2023. Photo / KiwiRail
Sivapakkiam said the Electronic Train Protection system (ETP) operates on Te Huia. ETP offers an additional level of protection by activating the train’s braking system if it passes a red signal.
“We are retrofitting the European Train Control System [ETCS], which provides another level of automatic control to 73 locomotives, and it will also be part of the equipment on new locomotives operating in the Auckland network.”
Sivapakkiam said testing of the retrofit design has begun and ETCS-enabled trains are expected to be in the fleet operating in Auckland by 2026, along with the necessary track infrastructure upgrades.
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