KiwiRail to install half crosses for near misses at level crossings

Monday, 12 August 2019

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

KiwiRail is placing half crosses next to railway level crossings to mark near misses.

There were almost 300 near misses on public level crossings last financial year. The incidents take a huge toll on both drivers and those who escape death, KiwiRail says.

Chief executive Greg Miller said close calls were happening daily.

KiwiRail is on a drive to reduce near misses at level crossings (file photo).

'In a lot of cases people are missing death or serious injury by seconds,' he said.

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'It is often just luck that they are not killed.

'Although no one gets physically hurt in a near miss, the driver, other rail staff, witnesses and of course the pedestrian or motorist all experience a level of trauma.'

In the last financial year, 415 near misses were recorded. Of those, 299 happened at public level crossings, the majority of which had lights, bells or barriers.

TrackSAFE NZ's Megan Drayton said close calls could be reduced if people complied with signals.

'The 'near miss memorials' are a half white cross and represent the hundreds of New Zealanders who have narrowly avoided a serious or fatal collision on the railway tracks in the past year,' Drayton said.

'We hope that these memorials will cause people to take greater care around trains and recognise that with growing populations, more trains services and faster and quieter trains, there's no room for complacency.'

Memorials were being installed at road and pedestrian level crossings for the duration of Rail Safety Week.

Some memorials at busy crossings had a QR code, which members of the public could scan with their phones to view a near miss video clip.