An ‘Expect Trains’ safety campaign will be launched at Wellington Central railway station at the start of Rail Safety Week on Monday August 15 with a short speech from Transport Minister Simon Bridges.
Following 110 near misses with vehicles at level crossings and stations in the past year, the campaign’s theme – ‘Expect Trains’- reminds drivers, who are often on auto pilot, to check for trains as they approach rural and semi-rural level crossings.
The Rail Safety Week runs from August 15 – 21 highlighting the importance of awareness and caution when using level crossings and railway stations.
This year’s campaign will be launched by Bridges, accompanied by KiwiRail’s chief executive Peter Reidy and NZ Transport Agency Fergus Gammie.
It brings up to date safety issues into the public consciousness,with the aim of changing pedestrian and driver behaviour to prevent accidents and casualties in
the future.
Additionally there is also a new focus on the behaviour of pedestrians at urban pedestrian crossings due to a recent increase in collisions and near collisions
with pedestrians because of distractions such as cellphones and headphones.
In the past year there have been 61 near misses with pedestrians at level crossings and stations alone.
