Queensland residents draw to the attention of the House the need to limit the use, volume and duration of train horns on residential rail corridors.

We now have boom gates, flashing lights and closing pedestrian gates at residential level crossings and stations. The days of gate keepers and crossings without boom gates have long passed, just as steam trains and steam whistles have gone too. There is no issue with a horn being used as a warning device to warn workers, trespassers or animals on the track, but to be sounded at the approach to EVERY level crossing and when departing a train station is ridiculous. A warning device such as a mouth blown whistle to signal staff and passengers that a train is departing a station is more than sufficient, rather than a horn that can be heard kilometres away.

Completely empty City Trains are often running well after 1.00AM sounding loud horns at every crossing. There is little to no vehicle or pedestrian traffic at that time and no ambient noise to penetrate - but horns are still blasting at full volume for long durations disturbing the sleep of thousands of residents along the way.

As a starting point, a trial of reducing horn volume, duration and no horns at all after midnight should be considered.

Your Petitioners, therefore, request the House to do all in its power to reduce and eventually phase out the use of train Klaxon horns on all residential rail corridors.