Re: Sydney Light Rail

["Barry Campbell" <campblbm@ozemail.com.au>]

Dave Proctor wrote in message ...
>Ahem - lawyer-to-be, if that is any help.
>
>It is true that the difference between railways and tramways is a matter of
>statute law, and can be changed by the Parliament as and when required.
What
>was interesting in Sam's reply was that he was applying Victorian law to a
>NSW situation, since NSW tramways (as well as the current light rail
system)
>have always used some form of safeworking. One also needs to ask whether or
>not traffic signals are a form of safeworking (they control traffic through
>intersections, after all, and there are tram-specific signals).


<snip>

Just to complicate the issue, here is what the situation is in Qld


Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995

Schedule 4
Dictionary


“railway” means—
(a) a railway within the meaning of the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994;
 or
(b) a tramway within the meaning of the Sugar Industry Act 1991,
part 11.


“train” means any conveyance or group of connected conveyances borne
upon a rail or rails of a railway.

“tram” means any conveyance or group of connected conveyances used or
designed for use upon a tramway.

“tramcar” means any tram fitted or equipped for the conveyance of
passengers.



I can't find a definition of tramway either in this act or in the Transport
Infrastructure Act. It just goes to show that the law is not always of much
use.


Barry Campbell