A dangerous activity has spiked in a major Australian city, with one worrying reason a key driver in the trend.
Trespassers on Melbourne train tracks have spiked with the cause in part put down to mental health issues.
The number of times someone had gone onto the Metro Trains tracks in the past 12 months had spiked 40 per cent, Metro Trains executive Paul O’Halloran told 3AW this week.
Every day about eight people were reported as being on the tracks, or about 3000 a year, Mr O’Halloran said.
“It’s hard to put a finger on, from a societal lens, what has caused it,” he said.
Lifeline signs similar to this Sydney one have been put near hotspots for people going onto train tracks around Melbourne. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer
A factor in the surge was people coming “back in droves to the network” after Covid-19 lockdowns, Mr O’Halloran said.
Increased mental health issues were also a factor in increasing trespassing incidents, he believed.
“The same people are trespassing, repeat offenders … there are a number of people who are trespassing causing major delays time and time again,” Mr O’Halloran said.
In March, trespassing impacted 899 trains on the Metro network. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw
“The actual impact of particular individuals is really quite harmful and impactful to our travelling public.
“It changes from month to month, new recidivists seem to come onto the network and others drop out, but it’s about 10 people at any given time who are causing us continued day-to-day interruptions to the network,” Mr O’Halloran said.
respassing between Richmond and North Melbourne inconvenienced the most people, he said.
Security and surveillance staff use drones to quickly locate people and direct police, alongside 11,000 CCTV cameras.
More than 64,000 Metro trains trips run each month. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui
Security patrol the hotspots and guards knew the recidivists and contacted police when they spotted one, Mr O’Halloran said.
People who take a shortcut or mistime a level crossing are being abated by 16km of fencing in hotspots.
In December 2019, anti-trespasser ground panels were installed at five hotspot locations – Keilor Plains, Yarraville, Prahran, Narre Warren and Berwick. In 2021, anti-trespass panels were installed at every platform at Flinders St Station.
“Frankston line, Sandringham, Pakenham, Cranbourne, Mernda, they’re the target areas at the moment,” Mr O’Halloran said.
“We put a lot of signs up for people for Lifeline with the messaging of ‘Pause, call, be heard’ at those hotspots.”
A Victorian government spokesperson said “we’re making sure all Victorians can get the support they need, when they need it and close to home”.
During the past three years the government invested $6 billion to mental health support, the spokesperson said.
Source: News.com.au
