NSW: Fine for tunnel drunk who halted city trains

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2005
NSW: Fine for tunnel drunk who halted city trains

By David Crawshaw

SYDNEY, Aug 4 AAP - A drunk who wandered into a Sydney train tunnel, bringing the city
centre rail system to a halt and sparking fears of a terrorist attack, will not face charges.

Instead, his punishment will be a $400 fine for trespassing on train tracks - courtesy
of CityRail's transit officers.

The drama happened towards the end of peak hour yesterday when the man jumped off the
end of a platform at Martin Place station and walked into the tunnel, towards Town Hall,
RailCorp said today.

An underground search was launched while trains were stopped across the CBD and eastern
suburbs, although no stations were evacuated.

RailCorp spokesman Matthew Vane-Tempest said a member of the public had alerted station
staff when he saw the man, apparently drunk, jump onto the tracks and walk into the tunnel.

Security and train-control staff searched for the man before he was apprehended, without
incident, after spending about 10 minutes in the tunnel.

"Transit officers at Town Hall intercepted him and he was held until police arrived,"

Mr Vane-Tempest said.

The transit officers later fined the man $400 for trespassing on the train tracks or
"crossing running lines", he said.

Mr Vane-Tempest said there were no cameras in Sydney's rail tunnels but RailCorp was
looking at ways of improving security on trains after the London attacks.

Sydney commuters have been urged to be on the lookout for suspicious activity after
terrorist attacks in London on July 7 killed 55 people on the underground train system
and a bus.

Police said the man would not face any charges as a result of his behaviour.

"He was just given the infringement notice," a NSW Police spokesman told AAP.

"If he wants to fight it he can go to court but there will be no charges per se."

RailCorp chief executive Vince Graham praised the member of the public who alerted
rail staff, saying his action showed the government's campaign to encourage the public
to report suspicious activity at train stations was working.

"Our systems worked exceptionally well and our congratulations to the public for picking
up so well on the 'See something, say something' program," Mr Graham told reporters.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma will soon release details of an emergency plan to evacuate
the city in the event of a terrorist strike.

AAP dcr/jt/sp

KEYWORD: TUNNEL NIGHTLEAD

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