Level Crossing Technology Trial
Project overview
The trials are designed to improve safety by improving driver awareness of the level crossing and its risk.
There are more than 2700 level crossings on operational lines on the NSW rail network. There are 1307 level crossings on public roads and of these, 858 level crossings have a stop or give way sign.
Between 2001 and 2021 there were 164 crashes at level crossings between trains and road vehicles in NSW, resulting in 16 fatalities and 26 serious injuries.
During this period, the average frequency of collision at a level crossing in NSW was just over eight crashes per year, or one crash every six weeks.
We are trialling new technologies to improve level crossing safety in NSW at three trial sites in regional NSW:
Mary Gilmore Way, Bribbaree, LX1130 – Augmented Stop Signs and Advance Warning Signs, both with LED lights
Dandaloo Road, Narromine, LX1109 - Augmented Stop Signs with LED lights
Old Backwater Road, Narromine, LX1108 - Advance Warning Signs with LED lights.
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New Technology
Advance Warning Sign – The advance warning signs with orange ‘wig wag’ lights will flash if an approaching motorist is not slowing down to prepare to stop at the level crossing. The warning sign system uses solar and battery power to provide reliability and resilience in regional conditions.
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Augmented Stop Sign – The augmented stop signs have LED red lights constantly illuminated in daylight to increase driver awareness of the stop sign at the level crossing.
The augmented stop sign’s lights will flash during daylight if an approaching motorist is not slowing down to prepare to stop at the level crossing.
During the trial, the augmented stop sign lights will only operate in daylight. CCTV will monitor the performance of the system at each site. The Augmented Stop Sign and Advance Warning Sign system use solar and battery power to provide reliability and resilience in regional conditions.
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Safety at all Level Crossings – Petition
A petition launched by Maddie Bott following the tragic deaths of her fiancé, Ethan Hunter aged 27 and his friend Mark Fenton aged 50, at a passively controlled level crossing gathered more than 21,000 signatures. The petition was presented in NSW Parliament on 11 November 2021, calling for all level crossings to be made safer, including making warning lights mandatory.
The Emerging Technologies branch of Transport for NSW was directed by the NSW Government to develop technology trials designed to improve level crossing safety.
Level Crossing Safety
Level crossing collisions between trains and vehicles are a major road safety risk. While infrastructure improvements will continue to reduce risk at level crossings, it is also important that drivers, riders and pedestrians take care and obey the road rules each time they encounter a level crossing.
Safely approaching a level crossing
Motorists must:
- Adhere to the sign posted speed limit
- Obey stop, give way and other signs and signals
- Keep clear of the train tracks and not enter the crossing unless there is room for the vehicle on the other side of the tracks
- Not stop on an area painted with yellow criss-cross lines.
If a level crossing has boom gates and/or flashing lights, a motorist must not start to cross until the signals have stopped flashing and the gates or booms are fully open.
Community notifications
- August 2023 community notification (PDF, 310.48 KB)
Level Crossing Technology Trial Dandaloo Road and Old Backwater Road, Narromine - July 2023 community notification (PDF, 252.51 KB)
Level Crossing Technology Trial Mary Gilmore Way, Bribbaree
Frequently asked questions
- Please view the Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 266.52 KB) document for common queries.
Contact us
For further information about this project, please contact:
Phone: 1800 167 499
Email: western.projects@transport.nsw.gov.au