Death forces train cancellations

A person is dead after being hit by a passenger train near Palmerston North.

The Capital Connection commuter train was travelling north on the main trunk line near Longburn, south of Palmerston North, when it hit a person about 7.30pm on Monday, police said.

Police were investigating and working to identify the body found on the tracks, a spokeswoman said.

It was believed about 36 passengers, two staff and the driver were on the train at the time of impact.

No-one on board was injured, Kiwirail spokeswoman Sarah Stuart said.

The train was stopped for about an hour near Anders Rd after the incident, which happened near the Longburn-rongotea overbridge.

The train then carried on to the Palmerston North station.

The Tuesday morning Capital Connection service from Palmerston North to Wellington was cancelled to allow the investigation to be carried out, Stuart said. A bus was put on instead.

Yesterday evening’s train was also cancelled. It was unclear last night if this morning’s service would go ahead, Kiwirail spokesman Simon Kilroy said.

Incidents like this were distressing, Kilroy said. The company’s thoughts were with the family of the deceased, its staff and those who attended the incident.

Kiwirail was committed to providing support for all workers, including contractors who were involved in work-related trauma incidents, he said.

Following a collision with a person or a near-miss with a person or vehicle, train drivers were relieved of their duties for a minimum of three days. Kiwirail offered an employee assistance programme to support train drivers within 48 hours of an incident occurring.

Support was confidential and was available on an ongoing basis.

New Zealand Transport Agency figures showed there were 12 ‘‘person-on-track’’ deaths in New Zealand in 2015.

There were four in 2014, six in 2013, 16 in 2012 and 11 in 2011.

There were 16 rail deaths in total in 2015, which included pedestrians struck and fatalities from car crashes.