'A parent's worst nightmare' has passengers asking if light rail's doors stay open long enough

A mother is considering legal action against Canberra’s light rail operator after her young son was left stranded on a platform earlier this month.

The woman (name omitted) took to the Canberra Notice Board Group on Facebook to “say a big thank you to the lovely lady that grabbed my son” at the Swinden Street light rail stop on the morning of 8 December.

The four-year-old disembarked, but before his mum and three-year-old sibling could follow, the doors had “closed and locked”.

“The tram then pulled away from the stop, and I, like a manic parent, managed to alert the driver who stopped it and then had to unlock the doors manually,” she wrote.

To the lady who looked after her son until they were reunited, the woman said, “I sincerely apologise for not getting your name and being too emotional to say thank you in person”.

Commenters agreed this was “a parent’s worst nightmare”.

“I’ve seen people get stuck in train/tram doors – there should be a sensor to stop them closing on an obstruction,” one wrote.

“The doors never stay open long enough! It is way too scary!” said another.

The incident was reported to Transport Canberra (TC), but the mother is reportedly considering options for further action against Canberra Metro Operations (CMET).

In response to questions from Region, a TC spokesperson said, “There is no definitive time” for how long the doors remain open at stops.

Once the light rail vehicle (LRV) is stationary, the drivers unlock the doors, and passengers open them by pressing the illuminated yellow button next to them.

“Doors are then closed by the driver, based on their direct observation of passenger movements and light rail vehicle external cameras,” the spokesperson said.

“We remind passengers to always stay alert when boarding and exiting light rail vehicles. As doors are closing, a flashing red light will illuminate above the door. Passengers should also listen for the audible beep of the closing doors and an announcement stating, ‘Doors closing, please stand clear’.”

The CMET website adds that “if the doors close before you have exited, press the yellow button on the door to alert the driver that you still need to exit”.

The newer battery-powered generation of LRVs, commissioned for Stage 2A from Northbourne Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue, also emit sound alerts when the doors open and close, and this feature will be retrofitted across the existing fleet.

Emergency Help Points are also located on board near every door, in the wheelchair-accessible spaces, and on each light rail platform.

“Once activated, the Emergency Help Point acts as an intercom with the operation’s control centre, which will determine the type of emergency and what support services may be required,” the spokesperson said.

“Pressing an Emergency Help Point will also bring up your location on the CCTV screens, enabling CMET staff to assist and monitor the situation in real-time.”