The Canadian Pacific Police Service (CPPS) was in the Bow Valley earlier this week to remind people of the importance of staying safe around railway tracks as part of Railway Safety Week.
The initiative, which runs April 29 to May 5, teamed up CPPS, along with bylaw enforcement and RCMP, to take on education and enforcement activities in Banff and Canmore on Monday (April 29).
Members of the three enforcement services patrolled an area of track next to the Canmore Rec Centre, where students from Canmore Collegiate High School cross to access services along Bow Valley Trail.
In the afternoon, CP Rail took the message to students at Banff Elementary School.
“We want to get to youth at an early age and inform them of these risky behaviours with the hope of deterring that in the future,” said CP Rail spokesman Kevin Hrysak.
Trespassing remains one of CP Rail’s main challenges, as it can lead to injuries and deaths, according to Hrysak.
“CP Police Service, along with other railway companies across Canada, are out promoting rail safety around railway property and were reminding cyclists, motorists and pedestrians about the importance of staying safe around railway property. Today, we’re out here in Canmore doing trespassing enforcement to educate youths and anybody we see trespassing on the property about the dangers that can occur to them and to use the proper safe crossings,” Hrysack said. “We do a combination of warnings, education and enforcement.”
In 2012, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada logged 47 accidents, four fatalities and seven serious injuries at railway crossings throughout Alberta.
Trespassing incidents in Alberta led to 10 accidents, eight fatalities and two serious injuries.
The Bow Valley has seen three deaths over the past five years on the CP Rail tracks, he added.
Across Canada, Hrysak said, trespassing statistics are up and that has corresponded to a higher number of fatalities.
“We work jointly with the Town of Canmore and peace officers who can issue tickets on our property and we’re also working with the Town on potential measures such as putting up further fencing,” Hrysak said. “We do this type of enforcement and education year-round, but this is a collaborative effort with all railway associations across Canada to do this type of awareness.”
Tickets for trespassing on railway property come with a $287 fine. However, according to Const. Ross Utigard, fines under the Railway Safety Act, which is a federal act, can reach $10,000 or three months in jail.
Utigard said the Railway Safety Act is used for more serious offences or repeat offenders.
“Behaviour can be a hard thing to change. Hopefully us being out here, with bylaw officers and RCMP, eventually the message can be absorbed by the community,” said Utigard.
The other option is, of course, to hit people in their wallets.
The goal, both Hrysak and Utigard said, is to ensure the safety of both the public and CP Rail staff.
“Safety of our communities and our employees is a key part. Initiatives like this on top of regular enforcement patrol activities help educate and deter,” Hrysak said.
Utigard said trespassing is only one of the violations CPPS is monitoring during Railway Safety Week.
“Our enforcement activities during Railway Safety Week will be around railway crossings and around railway tracks looking for trespassers, seatbelts, cellphones, speeders and crossing gate violations such as driving around crossing arms or racing the train,” he said.
The Railway Safety Act gives the CPPS the same enforcement powers as peace officers and the RCMP.
“Our police officers off railway property act as peace officers under the Criminal Code of Canada so if they do see unsafe or criminal behaviour they are obligated by the Crown to intervene,” Hrysak said.
