Drawing the line on 10 News
10/02/2013
Channel 10 News 10/02/2014 Drawing the line (17.23)
Belair line commuters say their lives are being put at risk because of red tape. They’re demanding a white safety line be painted on both sides of the track but it’s proving to be a bureaucratic nightmare. Standing behind a white line when a train passes at Lynton would be simple if there was a white line.
(Cathi Tucker, Dignity for Disability Candidate, grab)
Tucker: “We’d be talking about people being killed. If a train can’t stop and someone has come straight through a pedestrian crossing, they will die.”
One person has already come close.
(Kelly Vincent, Dignity for Disability MLC, grab)
Vincent: “A young adolescent male on a bike that was unfortunately injured using this line, and also on similar lines there have been similar injuries.”
For a year Dignity for Disability has lobbied for the simple safety measure hoping to protect disabled people at nearby Balyana Centre.
(Unidentified man)
Man: “People in wheelchairs are definitely more vulnerable in this situation.
(Kelly Vincent, Dignity for Disability MLC, grab)
Vincent: “How hard is it to provide a couple of lines in order to improve rail safety?”
Quite hard as it turns out. One side of the track a State responsibility; the other Federal.
(Cathi Tucker, Dignity for Disability Candidate, grab)
Tucker: “Of course it just makes no sense to have half.. half the job has been done.”
(Unidentified man 2)
Man 2: “Go to Bunnings and fix it up. Get a bit of white paint.”
And that’s exactly what one transport supervisor did once Ten Eyewitness News showed him the problem. But there are 19 more crossings just like this one across the Belair line and all of them are in needs of a little white line. Transport Services Minister Chloë Fox says she’s contacted the Federal Australian Rail Track Corporation without luck. She’ll now complain to the National Safety Regulator.
(Kelly Vincent, Dignity for Disability MLC, grab)
Vincent: “How many people need to get hurt? How many people need to lose their lives before this looks like a worthwhile issue?”
