File pic Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
A person has been seriously injured in a collision between a car and train just south of Masterton in Wairarapa.
Emergency services and the Westpac rescue helicopter were called to Norfolk Road at about 10am today.
The injured person was flown to Palmerston North Hospital.
The Wairarapa commuter train and a car collided at a level crossing where lights and bells are installed, KiwiRail said.
No one aboard the train was injured, but the crossing was extensively damaged.
The road was closed for several hours but has now reopened.
The council's roading contractor said the road had been cleared, but the railway signals were not working.
A Carterton resident told RNZ there had been previous incidents at the crossing, and locals often drove through it while the signals were going.
The resident, who did not wish to be named, said frequent false signals at the crossing meant long queues were common when it was busy, and it had become common for drivers to ignore the warning lights and bells.
The false signals were caused by trains stopping nearby, but the warning lights and bells continued while the trains were waiting at the spot, and many drivers became frustrated with the long waits and so drove through anyway.
The man said he had complained about the danger to KiwiRail after an earlier near miss which he said was caused by the confusion created by the false signals.
KiwiRail has been approached for comment.
