Rail safety week raises safety awareness
West Australians are being urged to think twice about their behaviour around railway lines.
Rail Safety Week (August 15 -21) aims to raise awareness about the potentially devastating consequences of being unsafe around the railway.
Public Transport Authority spokesman David Hynes said there were three key safety messages upon which the organisation would focus this year.
- If you drop something on the tracks, ask for help.
“Ask a Transperth customer service officer or a transit officer for help you if you’ve accidentally dropped a personal item on the tracks. Don’t put yourself in danger to retrieve items yourself.”
- A shortcut across the railway line isn’t worth it. Stay off the tracks.
“There’s no good reason to be on the tracks. Stay behind the yellow line on the platform and stick to the designated walkways when crossing the tracks – these measures are in place to keep you safe.”
- Pay attention to your surroundings when around the train tracks.
“Public transport is a common part of people’s daily routine so there’s potential to become complacent around trains. It is important to remember to be alert to your surroundings, especially if you’re carrying a mobile phone or using headphones.”
Mr Hynes said motorists should heed safety warnings too.
“We recently carried out a two-month advertising blitz urging motorists not to try to beat the boom gates, and to ensure the road is clear on the other side before entering the crossing.
“We do everything we can to make our level crossings as safe and as visible as possible – in some cases removing, grade separating, or building entire rail lines without a single crossing (including Mandurah and Joondalup), but the public also has a part to play.”
Signage from the latest Stay off the Tracks campaign is also on display around the Transperth network. It aims to educate passengers and pedestrians about alternatives to risky behaviour and make them think about the physical and emotional consequences of being hit by a train.
Stay off the Tracks is an offshoot of the PTA’s award-winning Right Track education program, which teaches safer travel and encourages young passengers to make positive choices, and to be more responsible for their own safety.