Woman narrowly avoids oncoming train at suburban Auckland station

Dramatic footage has emerged of a woman who narrowly avoided serious injury or death after crossing an Auckland rail line moments before a train whizzes by.

Security camera footage shows the woman walking over the tracks at a dedicated pedestrian crossing at Mt Eden station this morning.

The near miss occurred despite the warning bells sounding and lights flashing. Several other pedestrians also crossed the tracks despite the warning signs.

Auckland Transport rail services manager Craig Inger said people must take care around the rail network because of the high number of trains in Auckland.

"We've checked the footage of this morning's incident and we can see the woman checked to her right before crossing but not to her left and that's where the train was coming from.

"It's really important that you check both directions before crossing, a train can come from either direction."

He said it was disturbing to see several other people crossing before the woman.

"The lights and bells mean don't cross!"

He said electric trains are much quieter than the old diesel trains which were previously used on Auckland's rail network.

"You can't be using your phone or have earphones on because you might miss the warning lights or bells," he said.

Megan Drayton from TrackSAFE said more than 100 people have died in New Zealand in he past ten years on railway tracks, tunnels and bridges.

"Most railway deaths are preventable if people follow basic safety rules around tracks and trains - only ever cross railway tracks at formed level crossings and obey the signs and signals that are there to protect you.

"Trains are extremely fast and quiet, they can't swerve to avoid a person or object on the tracks. The best the train driver can do is put on the emergency brakes and hope for the best."