Parkdale station: St Bede’s student almost hit by train, sparks level crossing safety patrol boost

This is the terrifying moment a high school student was almost hit by a train while taking a shortcut by running across the tracks at a station in Melbourne’s south. WATCH THE VIDEO

Teenagers are dicing with death by crossing train tracks illegally to get to school.

Metro Trains is beefing up security at several Melbourne stations to stop students putting their lives at risk just to save a few minutes.

The critical situation hit tipping point when footage emerged of several St Bede’s College students narrowly avoiding death after ignoring warning signals and running in front of a moving train at Parkdale station.

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Video of the terrifying near-miss has been shown to St Bede’s students by a new taskforce made up of Metro Trains’ Community Education Unit and Victoria Police Transit Proactive Unit members.

The taskforce will patrol stations enforcing Operation Jet — an 11-week campaign to increase students’ awareness of safety at level crossings.

Metro officers will also speak at schools to highlight the dangers of risky behaviour on tracks.

According to Metro trains, more than 200 pedestrian incidents occur at level crossings each year including two near misses at Parkdale since July.

Metro Trains officer Luke Martin patrols Parkdale station as part of Operation Jet.

The operation was launched at St Bede’s College due to the estimated 1500 students who use the notorious Parkdale level crossing.

Parkdale along with Berwick, Beaconsfield, Officer, Yarraville, Thornbury, Hoppers Crossing, Mentone, Prahran and Pascoe Vale are the top ten stations with the biggest number of dangerous incidents involving schoolchildren.

In 2004 a student died at the Bentleigh level crossing, which has now been removed.

St Bede’s deputy principal Mark Jones said students who don’t use level crossings correctly are making a bad decision which could lead to “disastrous consequences”.

“Our message to all students is to always look out for potential dangers before they act,” he said.

“At St Bede’s College, student safety is a priority — and it’s important that students understand that this concern extends beyond the gates of the school.”

Metro Trains chief executive Raymond O’Flaherty said they were focused on teaching children how to be safe around trains.

“Operation Jet will be visiting schools and patrolling our level crossings to empower students to change their behaviour and be a role model to their classmates,” he said.

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