And the majority of drivers were speeding at the time of their mistake.The Courier-Mail can reveal the rate of red lights being run on Queensland’s rail lines is climbing as investigation reports released under Right to Information laws give an insight into what was happening in the cab at the time.Drivers lost focus and overran signals by as much as 195 metres, including at three different level crossings.

There were 33 “Signal Passed at Danger” (SPAD) events in the last 9 months of 2020 – or nearly one a week – but the rate is even higher now.Several drivers said they had been worrying about the impacts of the COVID pandemic, one was trying to get down a phone number so they could check out a house for sale they were passing, one was so sick they had a severe coughing fit and couldn’t breathe and another was distracted by their driving tutor.
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In two separate incidents, trains ran into the Curlew Street level crossing at Sandgate – both times because a blown fuse caused a blacked-out signal and drivers failed to stop, and once when the boomgates were still open to cars.The first incident, in April, happened after a driver was distracted watching a group of youths failing to social distance at a pedestrian crossing.Luckily, it was a 1am and there was no traffic when it entered the crossing where lights were flashing but the boomgates were still up.
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A second train overshot the signal by 150 metres while a car was waiting at the crossing with boom gates down in September.In November, a train rolled into the Dawson Parade level crossing at low speed at Groverly when the driver didn’t see the red signal.Cars had been sighted crossing just moments before but it was clear when the train passed through.

A Toowoomba train ran a red signal in July but stopped before reaching the Bridge Street crossing used by thousands of cars a day.The Bundaberg Tilt Train was involved in a SPAD when it overshot a red signal between Dakabin and Petrie by 10 metres and was just one of an array of cases in which the driver was flouting speed restrictions.The driver complained the train didn’t pull up in time, even when the emergency brake was applied.
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But the investigation found the train was travelling at 82km/h rather than the 75km/h speed limit and would have stopped in time if it wasn’t speeding.Another driver was told a track fault was causing a red signal and that they would need to be granted special authority to pass it.The driver blew past the signal by 92 metres just one minute later while filling out the paperwork needed to gain authority.

Queensland Rail chief executive Nick Easy said he took the incidents “very seriously” and measures were being rolled out to prevent more, including infrastructure changes.“It’s important to note that when SPADs do occur, there are automatic and immediate responses in place to prevent the incident from continuing,” he said.“Train movements on the SEQ network are authorised and monitored by train controllers in real-time in our 24/7 Rail Management Centre.“When a SPAD occurs, an alarm is automatically triggers, allowing train controllers to intervene immediately and stop the train from progressing.”Mr Easy said the European Train Control System being adopted could further prevent incidents, including in the Cross River Rail tunnels.



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