Mr BAYLEY - In some ways it is an extension of this question. We have noticed a rise in trespass, of people using the tracks, of 5 per cent, and that has gone up year on year since 2020. What steps are you taking to address this, given the very obvious risks that have just been highlighted?
Mr CANTWELL - We pursue a number of strategies to minimise the level of trespass across the network. On known areas that are attractive for access to the corridor, we deploy fencing and security measures and run security patrols of the corridor. By the nature of our operation, every kilometre of the track is regularly patrolled by our track inspection staff so we're able to get information back to control swiftly when we identify evidence of corridor trespass and take whatever action is appropriate at the time. That might be repairs to fencing, or investing in community communication campaigns to remind the public of how dangerous it can be entering into a live rail corridor. We have just had a discussion about the price that can be paid for unauthorised access to the corridor, not only in terms of the risk to the trespasser but the knock-on consequence that can occur for members of our staff and their families.
Mr BAYLEY - Is it the same with vehicle access? I know there has been an incident recently where there was a collision between a train and a vehicle using a track as a shortcut. Are there infrastructure solutions you are investigating in relation to vehicle access as well to rail corridors?
Mr CANTWELL - It is pretty much the same strategy to maintain vigilance and invest in whatever is appropriate in terms of the right sort of deterrent, whether that's an engineering solution or a community education campaign. Vehicle access is more likely in and around level crossings that are open to the public and there is a whole campaign around investment in level crossing protection.
Mr FERGUSON - If I may add to what the Chair has shared, this is a major area of concern for us. When I meet with TasRail we always start our meeting with a safety share or value share, but nearly always it is a safety share and we are concerned about this issue and will continue to be so. I am at least pleased to advise that TasRail has reported an 11 per cent decrease in the number of reportable level crossing incidents in 2022 23. We discussed this last year and the year before at scrutiny. It is a particular problem.
In 2022 23 train drivers reported a total of 39 incidents where road users failed to stop or give way at railway level crossings, down from 44 in 2021 22, and 79 per cent of all incidents occurred on the north west coast. That's of interest. As Ms White indicated, I think, there were two level crossing collisions that occurred in the reporting period 2022 23. I'm sorry if that was actually you, Mr Bayley. We need to continue to drive down these incidents because every single one of those is a potential fatality and the impact it has on our operational staff I know to be significant.
I want to give a shout-out to the Australasian Railways Association and the TrackSAFE Foundation on their national initiatives, including Rail Safety Week and the Rail R U OK Day. All of these engagements working with the broader community are to try to discourage people who feel that the risk is worth it to dodge that train. It is not worth it. It is never worth it and they can't safely race the train across that crossing. They need to stop and obey the normal road rules.
