Residents respond to train death

A viewing platform and a water theme park, along with pleas to slow trains down, were ideas raised at a community meeting in Ngaruawahia last night as residents rallied to make a deadly rail bridge safer.

Up to 36 trains pass through the North Waikato every day, crossing the bridge which is also a popular summer swimming spot for children.

About 100 people came to the meeting, organised by the community board to address safety concerns after 11-year-old Moareen Rameka died playing on the bridge in March.

Her family stood at the front wearing T-shirts printed with her photo.

Colourful post-its stuck up on the wall of the memorial hall were full of ideas of how to make the area safer.

Tribal Huk leader Jamie Pink, supported by other gang members, produced an artist’s impression of a waka platform beside the rail bridge.

Ashley Turner, a caretaker at both the Ngaruawahia and Taupiri Schools, was driving past the bridge when Jayden Turner died in 2002 and still recalls it vividly.

He believed building a viewing platform using the poles from the old rail bridge would move children away from the dangerous area.

Rangita Wilson said education was needed and called on the Government to introduce a law requiring trains to slow to a walking speed as they passed through the town.

“No one has got any chance [getting off a track]. Even if it was an adult — your chances are limited of trying to get the hell off there.”

Pokaia Nepia said it was about the third community meeting that had been held on the issue over the years. After the last one three years ago fences were erected, but Nepia said it just created another challenge for the young people to get over.

KiwiRail acting group general manager of network services Henare Clark acknowledged the family had been in touch with the train driver and told them the company would also meet with them in due course.

He said the meeting had been positive.