Accidents at Auckland rail crossings prompts $8m investment into rail safety

Wednesday, 3 October 2018

Transport Minister Phil Twyford and Auckland mayor Phil Goff were joined by Presley and Karamea Matthes, who lost their son Keenan when he was hit by a train in West Auckland last year, to announce safety upgrades for 11 rail crossings across the c

Deaths and near misses at Auckland train stations have prompted a near $8 million investment into rail safety.

The announcement was made by Transport Minister Phil Twyford and Auckland mayor Phil Goff at Glen Eden station in West Auckland on Wednesday morning.

Eleven rail crossings across the city would be upgraded with automatic gates and hazard lights to help save lives, Goff said.

'We are announcing today investment of $7.6 million towards rail safety to prevent avoidable accidents and loss of life that saw several people killed and 50 near misses for pedestrians at Auckland's rail crossings last year,' he said.

Presley and Karamea Matthes said their son Keenan was their drive to improve rail safety in New Zealand.

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'Too many families and communities have lost loved ones due to rail-related deaths or are picking up the pieces because of a serious injury.'

The investment would be made by Auckland Transport and the New Zealand Transport Agency.

Goff said improving rail safety was already underway with AT installing seven automatic gate safety upgrades in the past 12 months.

Transport Minister Phil Twyford with Presley and Karamea Matthes, who lost their son Keenan when he was hit by a train in West Auckland last year, at the rail safety announcement.

'With rail patronage increasing rapidly, with 20.3 million train passenger trips in past 12 months, and with risk rising with more trains crossing Auckland, the need for improved rail safety measures is urgent,' he said.

'When a train hits a car or a pedestrian, it's unforgiving. You're thirteen times more likely to be killed in an accident involving a train than in any other car crash.'

An automatic gate was installed at Rānui train station in April after the Matthes family, whose son died there, advocated for it.

Transport Minister Phil Twyford said although the increased number of trains running on the network was good, the electric trains were 'wonderfully quiet'.

'The frequency and the quietness of these trains has greatly increased the risks of accidents at rail crossings and it's time for us to make a real commitment to reduce the risk to life and limb at railway crossings,' Twyford said.

He said over the next two years, the 11 safety gates would be installed in West Auckland, Avondale and south Auckland.

In the next five years, the plan was to make safety improvements at all 51 rail crossings across Auckland.

In the next 20 years, Twyford said the plan was to grade separate or close every rail crossing in Auckland.

'Ultimately, that's what will deliver the greatest safety improvement,' he said.

The Matthes family, who lost their son Keenan when he was hit by a train at Rānui station in April last year, were at the station to support the instalment of safety upgrades.

Keenan was wearing headphones at the time of the accident and was unaware a train was approaching.

Mum Karamea Matthes said the announcement was 'amazing'.

'It's great to hear that the ministers are listening to us and no other families are going to go through the pain and heartache that we have been through and we will continue to support the safety of pedestrian level crossings throughout New Zealand.'

Karamea Matthes said the motivation to increase safety at rail crossings came from Keenan.

'The drive is our son. He was a beautiful, beautiful boy and at only 16 years old, going for a run during the school holidays.

'Teenagers usually want to stay in doors and sleep till 12 o'clock but our son was a very accomplished, very determined person and to lose him, we don't want another family to go through this.

'He is our drive, he is our push.'

As part of Rail Safety Week in August, Keenan's father Presley Matthes spoke about the importance of automatic swing gates at level crossings.

The family successfully advocated for a swing gate at the Rānui station after Keenan's death and one was installed in January.

Having signs and yellow lines warning pedestrians of trains was not enough, Presley Matthes said.

'It doesn't stop people from getting hit. Putting a gate in front will stop them.'

The automatic gates are activated by a sensor on the tracks and have a safety zone with an emergency exit gate.

When a train approaches these pedestrian level crossings, the bells sound, red lights flash on and off and the crossing gates close automatically.

While these gates were an important safety feature, Goff said it did not reduce the need for pedestrians to pay attention and look for trains at rail crossings.