Driver behaviour risky at crossing

The Oamaru Steam and Rail Society’s locomotive B10 pulls away from the Harbourside Station in...
The Oamaru Steam and Rail Society’s locomotive B10 pulls away from the Harbourside Station in January last year. Photo: ODT Files

Frequent near-misses as drivers fail to stop for the Oamaru Steam and Rail Society’s train pulling out of Harbourside Station are worrying society manager Harry Andrew.

The train crosses the Humber-Itchen Sts intersection throughout the day every Sunday, when there is often a steady flow of traffic.

While the intersection does not have barrier arms, it does have flashing lights and bells to warn motorists that a train is approaching.

However, Mr Andrew said he had lost count of how many times motorists had ignored the warning signals and travelled through the intersection at high speed.

‘‘The cars are just not stopping. Last week, someone travelling south on Humber St came through in a station wagon and she was either on the phone or listening to something — I don’t know — but she didn’t see the lights going and she didn’t see the train.

‘‘She just didn’t see it coming. It’s crazy.’’

Mr Andrew said he was required to report any instances of near-misses to KiwiRail, which in turn reports them to police.

Last year, there were 37 near-misses at the intersection involving vehicles and this year there had been about a dozen.

He said there had also been ‘‘a few’’ close calls at the point where the railway line crosses Wansbeck St, but that it was not an ongoing concern.

Pedestrian traffic had not caused significant issues in either location.

Mr Andrew said he had spoken to the New Zealand Transport Agency, which had suggested barrier arms be installed. However, he was told that would cost ‘‘around $10,000’’.

Mr Andrew has come up with some ideas of his own, such as installing a speed bump on the rise under the rail overbridge just before the rail track crosses Harbour St, warning lights on the north-facing side of the bridge itself, and reflective tape on warning light poles.

A CCTV camera looks over the intersection but it is not used to monitor traffic.
Mr Andrew had also discussed his concerns with the Waitaki District Council. Road safety co-ordinator Elton Crane said the council had started ‘‘monitoring user behaviours to obtain a better understanding of the complex movements at this site’’.

‘‘Though the train generally operates outside normal business hours (weekends and public holidays), this intersection has multiple points of entry, an abundance of visual distractions and many pedestrians, so any solution must reflect the differing dynamics of users and purposes,’’ Mr Crane said.

‘‘We have a variety of road users from heavy commercial vehicles through to tourist pedestrians in this part of town . . . Any solution needs to address these multiple elements for it to be successful.’’

Mr Andrew pleaded with drivers to take more care in the area, especially during peak times and when the train was running.

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