KiwiRail says people need to be taught to respect level crossings

Photo / Herald on Sunday

KiwiRail has reported a "disturbing" rebound in crashes between vehicles and trains at level crossings after several years of a declining trend.

But the State-owned rail operator says in its annual report that it lacks both the staff resources and funds needed to increase crossing upgrades, from an average of about eight a year, and that education and community awareness are as important as engineering measures in improving rail safety.

"It is disturbing that a trend in level crossing collisions that seemed to be steadily downwards three or four years ago has spiked upwards over the last couple of years," KiwiRail says in the report.

There were 31 collisions between vehicles and trains at public level crossings last year which compared with fewer than 20 in 2008 and 16 in 2006.

Although the number rose back to 23 in 2007, that was regarded as an aberration in a downward trend from a peak of 36 crashes in 2004.

Separate Ministry of Transport figures show 12 railway deaths last year, of which four were at level crossings and the remainder elsewhere in the rail corridor, including those of pedestrians trespassing on tracks.

Chris Cairns Foundation rail safety campaign manager Megan Drayton says seven people have died so far this year on railway tracks, although just one fatality was at a level crossing.

Although nobody has died in 19 collisions so far this year between motor vehicles and trains, a number of people have been seriously injured.

KiwiRail says about one-third of level crossing crashes since the beginning of last year were at sites protected by flashing lights and bells - whether with or without barrier arms.

"Whenever an incident occurs, local communities ask for these kinds of protection but the statistics suggest they are not the only answer," the report says.

"It underlines the point that education and awareness are as important as engineering."

Of about 1400 level crossings on public roads, about half have flashing lights and bells but only one in five have half-arm barriers as well.

KiwiRail says it upgrades an average of eight crossings a year, although only seven were completed in the 12 months to June 30 for a total cost of nearly $1 million.

Ms Drayton said her organisation was satisfied that KiwiRail was "putting as much resources into that as they can" as well as supporting the foundation's public awareness efforts.

These include a campaign with KiwiRail to encourage train crews to report close calls so details can be passed to the police for investigations. She said 43 near collisions were reported in the campaign's first two months.