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Public Works Act 1981

Railways and tramways regulation and inspection - Local railways and tramways

182: Inquiry as to accidents

You could also call this:

“How the government checks and fixes railway accidents”

If there’s an accident on a local railway, the Minister can look into it. The Minister can do this in any way they think is best. After looking into the accident, the Minister might tell the people who run the railway to do some things to stop similar accidents from happening again.

The Minister might tell the railway owners to change how the railway is built or the equipment they use. This could include changing the trains, other machines, or how they run the railway. The Minister might even tell them to stop using the railway, or stop using certain trains or machines, until they make these changes.

If the railway owners don’t do what the Minister tells them to, they’re breaking the law. They might have to pay a fine of up to $1,000 for each day they don’t follow the Minister’s instructions.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM47787.

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Part 14 Railways and tramways regulation and inspection
Local railways and tramways

182Inquiry as to accidents

  1. The Minister may cause an inquiry to be held in such manner as he thinks fit into any accident referred to in section 181 and, for the purpose of preventing the recurrence of any such accident, may direct the proprietors of the local railway to—

  2. make such alterations as are necessary in the construction or equipment of the railway or the rolling stock, plant, or machinery used on or in connection with it, or in the method of working it; and
    1. discontinue the working of the railway, or the use of such rolling stock, plant, or machinery, or the method of working them, as the case may require, until such alteration has been made.

      1. If any such direction is not complied with, the proprietors of the local railway commit an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000 for every day or part of a day during which the non-compliance continues.

      Compare
      • 1928 No 21 s 248
      Notes
      • Section 182(2): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).