Near misses prompt fresh warning on rail crossing safety

Perth road users and pedestrians are being urged to seriously think about their behaviour around railway crossings after more than 300 incidents were recorded on Transperth’s rail network in the last financial year.

Rail Safety Week (August 10-16) is a national initiative and aims to engage the community in safe rail practices and raise awareness about the potentially lethal consequences of being unsafe around the railway.

This year’s campaign focuses on safety at railway crossings.

In the past week alone, the PTA has recorded several near misses at railway crossings, highlighting the serious risks of distraction and failing to obey warning lights and audible signals.

In the most recent incident (11 August 2026), a truck struck a boom gate at Collier Road near Ashfield on the Midland Line, which scattered debris over the tracks and caused disruption to train services. Replacement buses were organised between Bayswater and Midland while the line was cleared.

Transperth Train Operations Manager Murray Rowe said these incidents not only disrupt services across the network but can also place the lives of passengers, train drivers, pedestrians and road users at serious risk.

“Railway crossing incidents can have very serious consequences, which is why warning lights, signs and barriers are in place to protect everyone using the rail network.”

“A train moving at high speed cannot stop quickly – pedestrians and road users must stop at a crossing and wait until the lights have stopped flashing and it’s safe to proceed,” he said.

“Rushing through pedestrian crossings while the warning lights are on, or taking a shortcut around boom gates can be a fatal decision. In several recent incidents, it is only through good luck that no one has been seriously injured.”

“Saving a few seconds off your travel time is not worth losing your life or putting the lives of others at risk.”

During the 2025-26 financial year, the PTA recorded 321 railway crossing incidents, up from 160 in 2024-25, including:

• 124 occurrences of people or vehicles illegally entering level crossings – up from 63 the previous year
• 78 incidents involving people at crossings – up from 37 the previous year
• 46 vehicle-related incidents – up from 26 the previous year.

The highest number of pedestrian-related occurrences were reported at McIver (12), Gosnells (11), Burswood (7), Victoria Street (7), Maddington (6) and City West (5).

For vehicles, the most affected locations were Mosman Park (10), Victoria Street (9), Maddington (6), Kenwick (5) and East Guildford (4).

The maximum fine for trespass on the rail network is $5,000 under the Government Railways Act 1904.

Under the Criminal Code the maximum trespass penalty is a $12,000 fine and 12 months imprisonment.

Visit tracksafefoundation.com.au for more information on Rail Safety Week.