Minister stops off at North Melbourne Station with safety message

Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll visited North Melbourne train station for the launch of Rail Safety Week 2023 as Victorians were urged to take precautions and avoid dangerous behaviour around Melbourne’s train network.

This year’s theme for Rail Safety Week is “Stand Back, Look Up, Stay Rail Safe” with recent data showing nearly 2600 people trespassed across Melbourne’s train network in the past year, down six per cent from last year.

Mr Carroll, who spoke to staff at North Melbourne train station on August 9, reminded the community that “safety is paramount on our public transport network — thanks to the thousands of staff who do an amazing job keeping passengers safe.”

“Please stay safe by putting your phone away when on the platform, staying behind the yellow line, and staying alert around public transport.”

Metro Trains CEO Raymond O’Flaherty echoed the Minister’s sentiments, saying “We’re here to get you where you need to go, but we all have a part to play in staying rail safe. Stay aware of your surroundings to make sure we can all travel safely”.

Trespassers can cause significant delays that ripple through the network. A single trespasser can delay thousands of passengers while staff ensure the line is safe to resume.

According to the government, one trespasser in the city loop delayed up to 50,000 people.