A stoush over the safety of Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel has escalated, with Victoria’s firefighters union asking the national rail safety authority to assess the validity of accreditation given to run services in the underground network.
But the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) and other stakeholders have strongly refuted claims the Metro Tunnel’s emergency response systems are unsafe, saying it supports the opening of the tunnel in less than a week.
The United Firefighters Union (UFU) has reported all Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) radios failed to connect to the antenna systems used by emergency services when an unknown number of them were tested in the tunnel in mid-November.
It claimed 6,000 portable radios used by FRV would need to be reprogrammed by Telstra and re-tested.
That process could take more than a month, the union said. The tunnel’s first passenger services are due to run on Sunday.
As well as the alleged radio issues, the UFU claimed operator Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) failed to carry out required consultation with the union as part of its safety accreditation to operate services in the tunnel.
Union secretary Peter Marshall wrote to the rail safety regulator questioning the validity of Metro Train’s permit to operate in the Metro Tunnel.
In a copy of a letter to the ONRSR seen by the ABC, the UFU also alleged underground breathing equipment was outdated and non-operational, there were problems with emergency vehicles used to travel along the tunnel’s rail tracks, that Metro Trains staff needed better understanding of fire indication panel operations and that there was insufficient atmospheric monitoring for smoke or toxic gasses.
It said it had obtained legal advice that failing to consult with the union rendered Metro Train’s safety plan invalid and that it was a criminal offence to run rail services without that accreditation.
“When we plan public transport, we should plan for public safety,” UFU Secretary Peter Marshall said in a statement.
Victorian infrastructure in the spotlight
“In their haste to open infrastructure, the government has abandoned safety altogether.Â
“They have pushed communications testing to the last minute, only to find nearly every radio firefighters depend on has failed.”
But the ONRSR said it had been provided detailed evidence of consultation between MTM and FRV, including on the issue of radio systems in the Metro Tunnel.
“Modifications have been made, including the implementation of additional relays in all cross passages of the tunnel,” a spokesperson from the regulator said.
The regulator also said it had been issued with a copy of a “Letter of No Objection” that FRV sent to MTM to indicate its support for the opening of the tunnel.
Premier Jacinta Allan says the union’s claims are wrong. (ABC News)
Premier Jacinta Allan was asked about the issue at a media event with Metro Trains CEO Raymond O’Flaherty at Parkville Station on Monday morning.
“The claims that have been made by the union today are wrong,” Ms Allan said.
“And they’ve also been clearly rejected by the rail safety regulator who is the expert on this matter.”
Mr O’Flaherty said the tunnels had state-of-the-art emergency systems.
“Fire Rescue Victoria has carried out a lot of tests of the systems, the regulator is satisfied … everything is safe and we’re actually ready to go.”
Metro Trains CEO Raymond O’Flaherty says the Metro Tunnel is safe and ready to begin operations. (ABC News)
FRV said it had been involved in the project from its early stages to ensure crucial safety features were included in the tunnel’s designs.
It said there was a contingency plan for any radio faults.
The UFU has been waging a campaign about safety in the underground rail network and the new West Gate Tunnel road project, along with long-running industrial disputes against Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) and the state government.
Premier Jacinta Allan was joined by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier this month in announcing the early opening date of Sunday, November 30.