The Allan Labor Government is urging Victorians to take care and pay attention when walking near trains or level crossings, with new data showing that thousands of passengers are putting themselves at risk each year.
Today marks the beginning of Rail Safety Week, which is focused on the themes of 'Pause your tunes. Looks for trains' and 'Phone down, look up'.
Last year there were 453 near misses across Metro's train network and 124 on V/Line's train network, each requiring train drivers to take emergency procedures to stop the train as quickly as possible - a train travelling at full speed of 110 kph takes more than 400 metres to come to a complete stop.
These incidents can also cause lasting trauma for everyone involved, including employees, their families, passengers, and members of the public who witness the incidents.
In 2023 there were almost 3,000 incidents of trespassing on the network, or more than eight per day.
Trespassers cause significant disruptions on the network, and delay thousands of passengers while operators check the line to ensure it is safe to resume services - just a single trespasser in the City Loop can cause delays for up to 50,000 people.
The Labor Government continues to support public transport workers impacted by trauma from incidents across the network, as staff work to keep Victoria's public transport network safe and reliable.
The Government is also installing more than 16 kilometres of new fencing along key hot spots on the Frankston, Dandenong, Sandringham and Mernda lines to deter trespassers, with the rollout to be completed in 2025.
Metro has a dedicated Community Education Team, which teaches rail safety to schools and community groups. Since July last year, more than 400 education sessions have been completed, reaching more than 24,000 Victorians.
For more information, visit tracksafefoundation.com.au, and if you need help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
As stated by Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams
"Rail Safety Week is an important opportunity to remind passengers to keep safe across our public transport network."
As stated by Metro Trains CEO Raymond O'Flaherty
"A moment's inattention around trains can be devastating. Trains can approach quickly and they can take a long time to stop. Don't take risks around trains."
As stated by V/Line Chief Executive Officer Matt Carrick
"Trains can come from either direction at any time, so always obey the signs, gates, booms and signals at level crossings, and only ever use authorised crossings."
