We don’t want to shock you, but...

With the rapidly expanding rail network courtesy of Metronet, many students will soon be able to catch the train as part of their daily commute.

While this will change the way students get around, it brings other risks they may not have been exposed to previously – such as severe risk of electrocution or injury due to trespass.

Transperth, Metronet, Transperth Education and the Right Track teams are working together to improve safety for students by launching a new campaign to raise awareness of these risks. The “Use Your Brains Around Trains” campaign will become part of the roll-out process as services begin in new areas of Perth, and will be specifically aimed at encouraging safe practices among upper primary and lower secondary students.

Using targeted digital communication, letters to parents and teachers and supporting worksheets, the PTA’s Right Track team will also be on the ground to deliver key messaging to students and encourage them to make the ‘right choices’ when around the rail corridor.

In the lead up to the opening of each train line, we’ll be reaching out to each school in the local area to promote our safety messaging.

“The overhead lines are energised with over 25,000 volts and trains travel at high speed during the testing and driver training phases, so there’s a real risk of injury or worse - there’s never a reason for anyone to be within the rail corridor” says David McMahon from PTA’s Right Track program.

“Raising awareness and understanding of these risks, even before trains begin passenger operations, ensures we can continue our work safely and without incident.”

“With the Yanchep Rail Extension project now in testing phase, we will be engaging with schools between Butler and Yanchep at the start of Term 1 to actively promote safe choices now and into the future.”

Find this information relevant for your students? To access and download videos and supporting resources visit Train Safety (transperth.wa.gov.au).

To make a booking for Right Track to visit your school – contact righttrack@pta.wa.gov.au or call 9326 2055.