11. DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) Link to this
to the Associate Minister of Transport
What work is the Government undertaking to improve rail safety in New Zealand?
Hon NATHAN GUY (Associate Minister of Transport) Link to this
Tēnā koe, Mr Speaker. This week the Government is supporting Australasian Rail Safety Awareness Week to raise the profile of rail safety and, in particular, to encourage motorists to take seriously the risks posed by level crossings. Over recent years education and the improvement of infrastructure have led to a steady reduction in the number of train collisions with vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, but more work is needed. The Government contributes $1 million per year to upgrade level crossings with warning lights, bells, and half-arm barriers. This contribution is made up of $500,000 from the Crown and $500,000 from the New Zealand Transport Agency.
Although the Government is taking a leading role in improving rail safety with the Chris Cairns Foundation, it is important for the public to use common sense to keep themselves safe. I urge all motorists to treat level crossings as stop signs. People need to realise that level crossings are as dangerous as intersections on the open road. Even if a crossing is equipped with barrier arms and lights, drivers need to check for themselves that no train is approaching. Pedestrians also need to be aware that the tracks are for trains; there is no reason for people to put their lives at risk by walking along the tracks.
Darien FentonTēnā koe, Mr Speaker. What will the Minister say to locomotive drivers traumatised by the doubling of level crossing accident rates this year, given that his Government intends to remove accident compensation cover for the mental trauma drivers suffer in such accidents?
As I alluded to in the primary answer, this Government is focused on trying to make level crossings safer. Indeed, this week we have had a rail awareness focus with the Chris Cairns Foundation. The Government is working very closely with ONTRACK to ensure that we are upgrading the level crossings. At the moment about 10 level crossings are upgraded per annum, and the focus this week on rail safety improvement and awareness will ensure that there are fewer accidents and collisions in the future, resulting in less trauma for the drivers of the locomotives.