Near misses and lucky saves: The view from Sydney’s tram drivers’ cabins

They’re the split seconds between a nasty accident and just evading one. CCTV from NSW’s light rail driver cabins shows dozens of near misses as delivery riders, pedestrians and motorists take on 85-tonne carriages cruising along our cities’ streets.

Motorists in the Parramatta district – where the light rail connecting Westmead to Carlingford opened last December – have had more near misses with trams in the past year than those in the Sydney CBD and Newcastle.

Footage released on Sunday by Transport Minister John Graham shows absent-minded or distracted pedestrians stepping in front of trams or trying to rush their crossing; a near-miss with a person on a mobility scooter and a food delivery rider negotiating a footpath full of seating and pedestrians, oblivious to the tram just behind them.

One pedestrian at Central is saved by another grabbing his backpack and returning him to the footpath.

In another clip, a motorist disobeys a no right turn sign and passes in front of the light rail vehicle despite the tram light showing green.

In Newcastle, vision shows motorists and cyclists travelling on clearly marked “tram only” lanes. That light rail system has been operating since 2019.

Graham said: “These moments are hard to watch because in some cases, there are just centimetres or milliseconds from the result being so much worse. Whether you’re a pedestrian, a cyclist, or a driver, it is so important to take responsibility for your own safety.”

Monday marks the beginning of rail safety week.

A man in his 40s died in June after trying to cross between carriages in Devonshire Street in Surry Hills, when the tram moved and trapped him underneath. In 2023, a teenage girl died in similar circumstances. Witnesses reported Kyra Dulguime tried to cross between two carriages when it was stopped at a red light at the intersection of Goulburn and George streets.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.