Too many people are risking their lives by stepping onto train tracks in the Illawarra, according to a government report.
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The NSW Trains annual report said the South Coast line was the worst in the rail network when it came to incidents of rail trespassing.
“There was an increasing number of incidents involving trespass in the rail corridor reported throughout the financial year 2016–17 with around 225 incidents monthly on average, predominantly on the South Coast line,” the report stated.
The report said the higher numbers could be partially attributed to better reporting in the wake of a new customer centre being located in Wollongong.
The Sea Cliff Bridge was one of the worst locations in the Illawarra for people crossing rail lines, a spokesman for NSW TrainLink said.
“NSW TrainLink’s regional customer support centre based in Wollongong actively monitors and reports on locations where there are higher levels of trespass, including level crossings or scenic vantage points such as near the Sea Cliff Bridge,” the spokesman said.
The Sea Cliff Bridge has long been a problem area for rail staff and the Police Transport Command.
People looking for a special shot of the bridge will cross the tracks and walk north, apparently following directions available on social media sites.
This poses a real danger because they are walking towards a bend in the line where southbound trains come out of a tunnel and have limited visibility of the track ahead.
The level crossings at Bellambi and Woonona stations have also been recent problem areas as people ignore the boomgates and rush across the tracks in front of a train.
“We are concerned about any instances of trespass in the rail corridor because of the potential impacts on members of the community and our staff who witness accidents and each year we work to educate the community about the risks,” the NSW TrainLink spokesman said.
He also said trespassers on the rail line also caused problems for the train timetable and contributed to passengers arriving late at their destination.
“When trespassers are seen in the rail corridor our trains operate at lower speeds until we can confirm the area is clear and this can cause delays for our customers on the South Coast line,” the spokesman said.
The annual report stated there was an ongoing education campaign warning people to stay off the rail lines.
“We are actively involved in working with third parties to reduce the risk of trespass with undercover police targeting and fining regular offenders,” the report stated.