Rail Safety Week marked its 20th year from 11-17 August, with ARA members across Australia and New Zealand uniting to raise awareness about the importance of staying safe on and around the rail network.

Led by the TrackSAFE Foundation, the annual campaign has grown into a significant industry initiative, sparking conversations, building community awareness, and promoting safer behaviours.

This year, members delivered an impressive range of activities, campaigns and events. Highlights included:

• Metro Trains Melbourne supported the ‘Pause Your Tunes’ advertisement, lending a train for the campaign and promoting safety messages on social media.
• Public Transport Authority of WA released a creative ad featuring “Ella – Transperth Commuter” encouraging passengers to look up, look and listen for trains.
• Transport for NSW shared confronting CCTV footage of near misses on the NSW light rail network.
• Queensland Rail hosted its first Rail Safety Day Out at Caboolture Station for students from Lee Street Special School and Caboolture Special School.
• Stantec and Auckland One Rail partnered to produce a film with train driver Jared Hooper sharing his experience of a near miss.
• Yarra Trams released a safety video featuring World Tram Driver Championship team drivers Sally and Craig.
• KiwiRail partnered with TrackSAFE to launch Rail Safety Week at the New Zealand Parliament, with the Minister for Rail, Rt Hon Winston Peters, and launched a video featuring staff reinforcing the “Stay Off, Stay Safe” message.
• ARTC promoted “Expect the Unexpected” messages and attended the Moment of Reflection at Werris Creek, NSW.
• UGL highlighted its founding membership of the TrackSAFE Foundation, promoting “Get a grip. Hold the handrail.”
• John Holland shared reminders to be aware of surroundings around rail tracks, encouraging people to “make this Rail Safety Week count.”
• Martinus promoted “The Martinus Way” safety approach and hosted a site event with their Loganlea Station project team, with guest speakers including ONRSR.
• National Intermodal Corporation promoted the importance of a positive safety culture at freight terminals.
• Arc Infrastructure offered WA primary schools the chance to win a Constable Care Safety School excursion.
• Brefni reinforced rail safety as a shared responsibility through local partnerships and solutions.
• Swietelsky Rail Australia shared safety messages and a statement from their SQE Advisor.
• Rail Control Systems Australia released TrackSAFE messages urging collective responsibility for safe rail networks.
• TasRAIL shared a video on level crossing safety from a driver’s perspective.
• Victorian Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams highlighted the impact of fatalities and near misses and progress from level crossing removals.
• Auckland One Rail joined the launch at the New Zealand Parliament, engaged customers on the Eastern Line, visited Arahoe School, and produced a driver interview video with Stantec.
• Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator shared videos from staff on what rail safety means to them and co-hosted a RISSB Masterclass webinar. ONRSR also released a special edition of Engauge releasing their Corporate Plan for 2025-2026, releasing 7 national rail safety sector themes and a digital safety animation on SFAIRP (So Far As Is Reasonably Practicable) principle.
• RISSB promoted its Rail Safety Week webinar series and co-hosted a safety themes masterclass with ONRSR.
• Go Ahead promoted safety statistics and the importance of national collaboration on rail safety.
• The ARA Young Rail Professionals Committee reflected on progress in rail safety and encouraged discussion within its network.
• V/Line released a near miss video and announced a Try Before You Ride event at Ballarat Station.

Many other members shared safety messages on social media, engaged with schools and community groups, and ran awareness events at stations and worksites. From large-scale public campaigns to targeted local initiatives, the breadth of participation demonstrated the industry’s collective commitment to embedding safety in everything we do.

The ARA thanks all members who took part in Rail Safety Week 2025 and for their efforts to promote safety every day of the year.