Pacific National, a leading Australian rail freight operator, has called for a national summit on level crossing safety. 

The call comes in the wake of an incident on New Year's Eve in which a collision near Bindarrah, on the South Australian and New South Wales border, claimed the lives of two train drivers, Mick Warren and Kevin Baker.

The company has extended an invitation to federal and state governments, industry groups, private operators, and unions, to collaborate on devising crucial safety measures. 

This move is seen as a necessary response to avert further tragedies at the nation's level crossings.

“We owe it to the families of Mick and Kevin to learn as much as we can from this event to make sure we do what we can to prevent it from ever happening again,” said Paul Scurrah, Pacific National CEO.

With over 23,000 level crossings across Australia, Mr Scurrah underscored the complexity of the issue, stating; “There is no silver bullet to fixing level crossing safety... it's not going to be a single solution for every level crossing.”

The proposed summit aims to address a range of strategies including conducting a full audit of national level crossings, exploring industry-led solutions, and enhancing public education on level crossing safety. 

This initiative could build on the federal government’s $180 million commitment to improve railway crossing safety in regional areas.

Acting Transport and Infrastructure Minister Katy Gallagher acknowledged the government's serious approach towards this issue, citing ongoing efforts such as the National Level Crossing Strategy. 

Meanwhile, South Australian Police and Emergency Services Minister Joe Szakacs and Queensland Premier Steven Miles have also expressed their support for improving safety measures.

This call to action resonates with the sentiments of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU), which earlier advocated for a zero-tolerance approach to level crossing safety, including nationwide cameras at all crossings.