Regulator Releases Annual Rail Safety Report

Regulator Releases Annual Rail Safety Report

Media Release

28 January 2010

The number of rail safety incidents in NSW for many key incident categories fell or remained stable in 2008-09 compared to previous years, a new report from the Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator (ITSRR) shows.

The Rail Industry Safety Report 2008-09, which was tabled by the NSW Minister for Transport today, covers rail-related injury (including fatalities), rail safety occurrences (such as derailments and level crossing incidents) and drug and alcohol testing.

Key findings from the 2008-09 report are:

* the number of rail-related passenger and public fatalities was at, or
close to, the lowest observed over the past 20 years

* falls and alleged assault accounted for over 90% of passenger injuries
requiring transport to hospital

* the combined number of trespass and suspected suicide-related
fatalities was the lowest on record

* the number of freight train running line derailments decreased over
time

* the number of collisions between trains and road vehicles at level
crossings was close to the lowest observed over the past 20 years

* a historical rise in the number of vandalismrelated train fires in the
Sydney metropolitan area appeared to have steadied

* the number of serious irregularities in the systems used for the
protection of workers on track remained high

* track-related defects on sections of the Defined Interstate Rail Network
and Country Regional Network led to several freight derailments

* the rate of drug and alcohol detection amongst rail safety workers was
comparable to the past two years.

The Rail Industry Safety Report 2008-09 is the sixth annual safety report published by ITSRR and can be downloaded from ITSRR's website at www.transportregulator.nsw.gov.au


FURTHER INFORMATION: Sonya Sandham (02) 8263 7161


SOURCE: Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator (ITSRR)