Mark Withers said regardless of whether AFL games were moved into the city, a tramline should be built to service the area’s booming development, West Lakes Shopping Centre and a community hub touted for the area.

Mr Withers said a tram connection from the Outer Harbor rail line linking a revamped Woodville centre with West Lakes could also service Woodville West, where the State Government is building 430 new homes over the next seven years.

“You could wrap the tram all the way around (AAMI stadium) and have a terminus in front of the stadium and the shopping centre,” he said.

“It would be a great place to live, close to the water and beach and good shopping.”

A spokesman for the Department of Transport said construction of the tramline, which would also service Port Adelaide and Semaphore, was scheduled for between 2015-2019.

via Messenger News

A passenger on the Noarlunga 5.47pm train, who withheld her name, she they were travelling south when “just before Ascot station the Tonsley line train just carved across”.

“It was very scary seeing this train come towards you, we were going full speed until our driver honked their horn,” the woman said.

“People had their headphones on or reading books, (but) I was the second seat back, the man in front saw it as well it just mesmerises you, you stick to the chair and I don’t think you believe it.”

A Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure spokeswoman confirmed there had been an “operational incident” and TransAdelaide would investigate today.

“The train did not go on to the wrong line, there will be an internal investigation as to what occurred as part of standard procedure,” she said.

She said there were “minimal delays, 20 minutes to half an hour” before the driver was replaced “as a matter of protocol”. The passenger said: “They did apologise profusely, it could have been a disaster.”

via AdelaideNow

Premier Mike Rann says the service has been a “terrific success” since it started carrying passengers in March.

The government had planned to offer free travel for just six months on the $100 million extension, which runs from the western end of the city’s North Terrace to the Entertainment Centre.

The new service was inspiring more people to use public transport, the premier said at Sunday’s official opening of the route.

“Based on patronage figures from July this year compared to July 2009, total patronage on the entire tram line grew by 55 per cent, and it is estimated 2000 people a day board this tram to and from the Adelaide Entertainment Centre,” Mr Rann said in a statement.

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“While the government initially made the commitment to provide free travel from the Adelaide Entertainment Centre to the city centre for six months, we have decided to keep the current free travel permanently in place.”

Mr Rann said the next step for Adelaide’s light rail development was a $520 million extension of the tramline from the Entertainment Centre to suburban Semaphore, Port Adelaide and West Lakes.

The construction is scheduled to take place from 2015/16 to 2018/19.

via AdelaideNow

Three people were killed at level crossings in South Australia last financial year and there were more than 50 near-misses involving pedestrians.

The $3 million campaign to upgrade crossings and discourage irresponsible behaviour is part of National Rail Safety Week.

Road Safety Minister Jack Snelling says driver inattention, distraction and risk-taking are the most common contributors to collisions at level crossings.

“I know what it’s like on a hot Adelaide summer’s day with a carload of kids to be caught at a train crossing, but one moment’s impatience can destroy your life, the lives of your family and the lives of countless others,” he said.

37 people died in level crossing collisions around Australia last year.

Superintendent Mark Fairney says more than half of those fatal crashes occurred where boom gates or other warning devices were operating.

He says police cannot believe the number of people who take risks.

“Trying to explain to the family of those that have been seriously injured or killed, that indeed, their love one made a stupid choice, made a stupid error that, tragically, the rest of the family will have to wear for the rest of their lives,” he said.

ABC News

The Australian Rail Track Corporation projects are worth more than $400 million.

Corporation chief executive David Marchant says it is one of the largest rail infrastructure supply deals in a decade.

He says it will be a big boost to the local economy.

“OneSteel will be operating seven days a week, 24 hours a day, at its rail manufacturing plant in Whyalla and it will employ an additional 27 people … for the next two years,” he said.

Whyalla Mayor Jim Pollock says the deal is a big win for the local economy after the company was forced to cut back last year during the global financial crisis.

He says workers were uncertain about their future under the Federal Government’s planned Resources Rent Tax.

“One job is a boost to Whyalla, but 27 jobs is certainly a boost given the tough period that OneSteel and the community has gone through in the last 12 months with the mining tax and there was so much uncertainty,” he said.

via ABC News