Latest news with #PaulAshton
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- RNZ News
New KiwiRail survey shows nearly half fail to stop or prepare to stop at rail crossings
The report says a simple 'Look for Trains' sign had significantly higher success getting drivers to stop and look. Photo: RNZ / Nathan Mckinnon Nearly half of motor vehicles fail to stop, or prepare to stop when approaching level crossings in research commissioned by KiwiRail. They were least likely to do so where there was just Give Way signs in place. The engineering and professional services consulting firm WSP observed more than 3600 drivers - 47 percent failed to stop at crossings with Stop signs, or were ready to stop at Give Way signs. Earlier research had found more than half of the deaths in serious level crossing collisions over a ten-year period occurred at crossings with Stop or Give Way signs. There have been 25 collisions at crossings in the last two years. The report said 'Look for Trains' signs had significantly higher success getting drivers to stop and look - and a major recommendation of the review was to remove all Give Way signs for Stop signs. Chief operations officer at KiwiRail Paul Ashton told Nine to Noon the report helped them to further understand the challenges around passive crossings. A passive rail crossing is where there is a stop sign, give way sign or look for train sign. Crossings with barrier arms, bells and flashing lights are known as active protection crossings. "This research focused on the stop and give-way signs because there is evidence showing that compliance to the stop and give-way have been very very low, and the results of the survey re-enforce that we are just on 50 percent of people are failing to to that. "From a KiwiRail perspective this is both disappointing and very disturbing, disturbing on a number of fronts." Ashton said it was mostly in the rural areas where the passive signs were in place. He said in these places people were "sailing through" the crossings, often not slowing down or checking before crossings the tracks. The compliance crossing active crossings is much higher, Ashton said. "It is much higher because you have physical obstacles like barriers arms coming down to stop the traffic moving, but unfortunately we have had situations where people have driven around the barriers and we've had some very tragic incidents in the last 12 months as a result of that." To improve compliance, he said, they would be looking to add 'Look for Trains' signs at more crossings. "But it is still reliant on the responsibility of every vehicle driver to follow the rules, which is no different to us in our cars everyday at stop signs or give-way signs on the public roads." He said collisions and near misses also took a serious toll on KiwRail staff. There are 550 passive rail crossings and 750 active protective crossings around the country. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Why drivers don't stop at train crossings
Nearly half of motor vehicles fail to stop, or prepare to stop when approaching level crossings in research commissioned by Kiwirail. They were least likely to do so where there were just Give Way signs in place. The engineering and professional services consulting firm WSP observed more than 3600 drivers - 47 per cent failed to stop at crossings with Stop signs, or were ready to stop at Give Way signs. Earlier research had found more than half of the deaths in serious level crossing collisions over a ten-year period occurred at crossings with Stop or Give Way signs. There have been 25 collisions at crossings in the last two years. The report says 'Look for Trains' signs had significantly higher success getting drivers to stop and look - and a major recommendation of the review was to remove all Give Way signs for Stop signs. Paul Ashton is chief operations officer at Kiwirail. Photo: Supplied by Kiwirail
1News
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- 1News
TranzAlpine carriages separated while rolling after coupler failed
Two carriages of the TranzAlpine scenic train separated by about one metre while pulling into Arthur's Pass Station due to a broken coupler component, a Transport Accident Investigation Commission report has found. The report, released yesterday, said the separation on December 17, 2023, was discovered as a crew member walked between the carriages, which were used for luggage storage and a kitchen. Only crew were authorised in these areas, and no one was injured. Earlier that day, shortly after departing Christchurch, the train's second front locomotive suffered a fault, causing a 'sudden jolt and temporary loss of power", the report said. The faulty unit was isolated, and the train continued to Greymouth with one working locomotive. On the return trip, two extra locomotives were added at Otira to help power the train through the steep Otira Tunnel, which rises 250m over 8.5 kilometres. A new crew also boarded at this point. While descending into Arthur's Pass, the engineer applied several brakes and reduced throttle, which led to a coupler component with a pre-existing, undetected fracture breaking. "It is virtually certain that the train's configuration of four locomotives operating in throttle position three while applying the train's brakes to their full capability caused the weakened coupler component to break," the TAIC report found. Coincidentally, when the engineer went to disconnect the two front assisting locomotives, they lifted air pressure levers that unintentionally prevented a brake pressure drop from triggering an alert to train control. The parting caused "significant damage" to the carriage chassis and coupler connection. A crew member discovered the parting when they went to move between the two carriages, alerting other staff and making a recovery plan to move the parted portions of the train back to Christchurch separately. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission identified inadequate inspection and maintenance of carriage-coupler connections and the train alarm system failing to alert the crew of the parting, as key safety issues in its report. In a statement to 1News, KiwiRail said the incident had been treated seriously even though no one had been injured and only crew were authorised to enter the carriages which parted Chief operations officer Paul Ashton said changes were made to the way the state-owned enterprise operates because of the incident. "Those changes include improved eye bolts in the coupling system, which are now being installed. At the same time, we will complete a review of the train alarm system and introduce improvements to it by the end of the year to ensure onboard crew are properly alerted when an incident occurs." Train inspection regimes have been changed and the operating procedure if a train parted has been being updated, he added.
BBC News
28-04-2025
- BBC News
East Suffolk Council staff threatened and abused by public
People are being urged to respect council workers after some have been threatened and sexually harassed in a spate of recent Suffolk Council said a number of its frontline staff that work in waste management had become victims of extreme and threatening well as this there had been an arson attempt on one of its Clements, managing director at East Suffolk Services that looks after a number of council operations, said the behaviour was "completely unacceptable". The council said it had seen a rise in reports of verbal abuse experienced by frontline it said some residents had threatened waste and refuse operatives with physical violence after disputes over their bins were also set on fire in front of staff and they were apparently told the same would happen to them. The incidents have been reported to the police. "The majority of people our staff come into contact with are grateful of the services we provide," Ms Clements said."However, recently, we have seen an increase in aggression and abuse towards our staff under a range of circumstances. "This is completely unacceptable, and the message is very clear; it will not be tolerated."We believe that everyone should be entitled to work in an environment where they feel safe and free from aggression or abuse."The council's Liberal Democrat deputy leader, Paul Ashton, said staff should be able to work "without fear of abuse or aggression"."We will seek the strongest possible action against any perpetrators," he Police was approached for comment. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
