Stuart Ayres MP, Member for Penrith today announced budding young poets and authors at schools in the Penrith area have the chance to win a tour behind the scenes of the rail network, including Central Station’s mysterious ‘ghost platforms’.
A new competition challenges students aged from five to 16 to write a poem or a short story on rail safety using the theme: ‘Keeping it safe for everyone’.
“It’s important to get people in the Penrith area thinking about safety around trains and tracks at an early age to encourage responsible behaviour throughout later life, and I encourage as many students as possible to enter,” Stuart Ayres said.
“Sydney Trains should be congratulated on this latest initiative in the ongoing campaign to highlight the dangers of trespassing on train tracks and using the rail network safely.”
Students entering the competition are asked to include three of the following rail safety messages in their poem or story:
Always walk on platform.
- Stay behind the yellow line.
- See something, say something.
- Be on the safe side.
- Hold an adult’s hand.
- Be aware of the behaviour of customers around you.
- Avoid slips/trips/falls on the platform and train.
- Use your brains, tracks are for trains.
- Effects of vandalism/graffiti to the community (makes people feel unsafe).
- Be aware of your surroundings (eg when wearing headphones).
- Please mind the gap.
- Always use a footbridge.
- Need help? Every station has an Emergency Help Point.
- Always use a pedestrian level crossing.
- Never go with strangers.
One winner will be chosen from each of the following age categories:
5-8 years (Kindergarten to Year 2)
- 9-12 years (Years 3 to 6)
- 13-16 years (Years 7 to 10)
The winners will be offered a tour of the tunnels and platforms underneath Central Station and a visit to the high-tech Rail Management Centre where giant display boards track train movements live.
Winners will also receive a prize pack and the winning poems or short stories will be displayed at nominated stations around the Sydney Trains network. Runners-up will receive a Sydney Trains goodies bag.
Entries need to be submitted by 5pm on Friday 30 October 2015. For details about how to take part go to www.sydneytrains.info/education and click on the ‘Competition” link.
