Level Crossings

Mr DULUK (Davenport) (14:55): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Does the minister have any plans to fix level crossings along the Belair line or more general plans for grade separation at level crossings in the Mitcham Hills area? Mitcham Hills residents and commuters continue to face uncertainty on their daily travels with repeated level crossing failures, including most recently the Glenalta crossing failures on 10 and 12 September.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning, Minister Assisting the Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:56): I thank the member for Davenport for his question. This is something that he has corresponded with me about. Members may be aware that the Rail Commissioner has been undertaking investigations across our rail network into the safety, as well as the ongoing operation, of level crossings on the Adelaide metro passenger line service for several reasons.

One, of course, is for safety reasons to make sure that, following the horrendous incident that occurred in 2002 in Salisbury and the changes that were made to the treatment of level crossings, those sorts of practices are continuing to be maintained across the network, and also to identify whether there are any other opportunities on the lines to perhaps consider changing how the level crossings operate and even perhaps consider whether we need all the level crossings, whether they be road level crossings or whether they be pedestrian crossings.

Of course, there is a great inconvenience to people using the road network when they come across a level crossing which is in operation because a train is in the close vicinity of that level crossing, and there is also an operational issue which is caused for the running of the trains and the timetabling of the trains, and how quickly the trains can run from one part of the line to the other having to traverse parts of the track where level crossings are. There are quite often speed restrictions and cautions that drivers abide by when they go past these level crossings.

As it relates specifically to the Glenalta level crossing, I will come back to the house and to the member if there is any further information to add about whether there are any works which are planned to be undertaken to improve the operation of that level crossing. But, in general, this is an area that is getting some significant attention from the government in an effort to improve the experience for motorists, to improve the experience for people on the trains, and to improve the safety for all concerned.