An electric scooter was hit by a train in Larvik on Wednesday evening. The police are investigating the incident. – Based on the information we now have, it may look like this was deliberately posted, but it is early in the investigation, says Larvik police station chief Tor Eriksen. On a field by the train tracks lie what may be remains from the scooter. Photo: Håkon Lie / news Photo: Robert Hansen / news Similar to last week’s incident Last week, two trains ran over several things that were laid out on the tracks in Larvik. The police have since worked to find out who posted the items. – We have no reason to believe that it is the same people, but we see it in context in the way that it is a similar incident, says operations manager Roger Aaser in the South-East police district. The police in Larvik want tips about the incident. – We have no information about who could be behind it. We want people who may have information to report to the police, says Eriksen. Last week, three fire extinguishers were placed on Vestfoldbanen. Photo: Sindre Thoresen Lønnes / news Eriksen confirms that the electric scooter is one that has been rented out. – Do you hope to find out who rented it and who may have put it on the train tracks? – We have hope, and we are in the process of investigating what opportunities we have to find out something along those lines. Hope they get caught Trond Møller often travels by train from Larvik to Holmestrand to visit his daughter. He hopes the person or persons who have left objects on the trail will be caught. Trond Møller uses the train to visit his daughter. Photo: Håkon Lie / news – It’s bad to hear that people are acting like that. Now, it hasn’t been long since it happened last time, so I hope those who keep doing this are caught. He is not very worried about his own safety on the train. – I don’t think the train will derail, but you have it in the back of your mind now that it has happened twice. Serious Leader of the locomotive staff association in Skien Gudmund Hunskaar says that they see both incidents as serious and undesirable. – We believe that this is serious because it can have the potential to harm people who are on and near the train. SERIOUS: Gudmund Hunskaar says it is serious and undesirable that objects end up on the train tracks. Photo: Håkon Lie / news He says the damage potential is greatest for the surroundings in this case – since the object is not that big. – It will be an easy match for a train of 450 tonnes against a scooter weighing around 25 kilos, but the scooter can be split up, thrown from the train and possibly hit people or objects around. Believes the railway track should be secured better Hunskaar believes, on behalf of the locomotive staff association, that the railway’s areas should be secured as well as possible in urban areas. – In this case, we are talking about a level crossing, but we believe that populated areas should be secured with fencing as far as possible. Bane Nor has over 4,000 kilometers of railway tracks in Norway. Press guard Britt-Johanne Wang says that fencing is not the answer to everything. Photo: Heidi Gomnæs / news – We believe that attitudes and knowledge about what can happen when someone breaks the rules, and or deliberately causes damage to the infrastructure, is just as important. The consequences could otherwise be great for society, says Wang. Bane Nor has no general obligation to fence. – In densely built-up areas and in the case of neighboring conditions which entail a risk of dangerous traffic on the railway’s premises, we shall consider erecting fences. Can make locomotive drivers insecure Better security can give greater security to locomotive drivers, Hunskaar believes. – Such incidents can affect the working environment of the locomotive drivers by making people feel insecure. I don’t want to say that I’m afraid, but I’ll probably think about this and pay extra attention, he says. Bane Nor understands that this can make locomotive drivers unsafe. – All types of collisions are a burden for the driver, we have a great understanding of that. We are concerned with safety on the railway, and that it should be safe to take the train, says Wang.
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Electric scooter found on the train track on the Vestfold Railway – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
