Queensland Government calls for expressions of interest for level crossing safety trials later this year to reduce railway incidents
June 22, 2012
Queensland has called for expressions of interest for level crossing safety trials later this year as part of efforts to cut down on railway incidents.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson says $1 million will be provided for companies to conduct trials of their rail safety technology on the Queensland network.
He says the government is already working with Brisbane City Council to build flyovers over level crossings at Geebung and Bracken Ridge, two of Brisbane’s most notorious level crossings.
“These trials will help us ensure we have the most advanced rail safety measures to reduce the number of tragedies and near-misses at level crossings,” Emerson says.
“Any level crossing collision can cause service disruptions, property damage, injury and, in the most tragic cases, fatalities.”
Emerson says several level crossing safety technology innovations are emerging to improve railway crossing safety including radio break-in systems, in-road lights, low cost active level crossing protection equipment and broader cooperative intelligent transport systems.
Queensland Rail Acting CEO Jim Benstead says there were 472 instances of people nearly dying at level crossings in 2011 because they did not wait for atrain to pass or were not paying attention to the signs and signals.
“The difference between a near miss and fatality is luck and one day that luck will run out,” he says.
“Boom gates, flashing lights and signage are there for a reason and that is to protect lives when a train is coming. The message is: don’t gamble with your life at a level crossing.”
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