Two near level crossing collisions involving school buses in the last month are reckless and dangerous, according to rail safety campaigner and former international test cricketer Chris Cairns.

Mr Cairns, in his speech to the Automobile Association Annual conference in Hamilton last night, said that the incidents occurred North of Auckland, and in Kawerau, in the past few weeks.

“It is fortunate that in both instances no harm was done, however the consequences could very easily have been very different,” he says.

Other recent statistics of collisions and near misses are equally disturbing, Mr Cairns says.

“In the first three months of 2010 there have already been 10 collisions at vehicle level crossings, and a further 25 recorded near misses[1].  There were 103 recorded near collisions at level crossings since July last year.

“These figures indicate that the messages are just not getting through. We need to continue to work to raise awareness about the dangers of level crossings, and to educate drivers that they must always act with care and attention and obey the warning signs at level crossings.”

Mr Cairns is back in New Zealand this week to be involved in a range of awareness raising activities.  In Christchurch he met with a young survivor of a level crossing collision and a group of Canterbury-based locomotive engineers.

“Train drivers are often the forgotten ‘victims’ of level crossing collisions, who in most cases are first on the scene of a collision.  I am always pleased to be able to spend time with them, and to give them the foundation’s support, he says.

Today Mr Cairns will be visiting New Lynn in Auckland, where the development of a new underground station has removed two busy level crossings in the area.

“This development is an excellent example of how engineering changes can make a real difference in terms of rail safety in New Zealand,” Mr Cairns says.  He congratulated KiwiRail, Waitakere City Council, NZTA and ARTA who contributed to making the project a success.