Popular children’s railway at Raumati Beach is forced to suspend loco departures

By Alan Tristram

Kapiti Independent understands one of Kapiti’s most popular children’s entertainments has been switched to a siding because of  onerous government regulations.

 

The Kapiti Coast Council says it’s advising the Kapiti Miniature Railway & Model Engineering Society to stop operating until both a new Certificate of Registration from Worksafe and a permit to operate from Council are in place.

A KCDC document says: ‘It is an unfortunate situation for families with young children who look forward to riding the miniature trains on Sundays.

‘The requirement to certify is the operator’s responsibility and it is a very important process that provides certainty to the public that they can ride the miniature trains safely.

The Kapiti Miniature Railway & Model Engineering Society’s ‘Certificate of Registration of an
 Amusement Device’ was due to expire yesterday.

This Certificate is required under the Amusement Devices Regulations 1978 and is obtained from WorkSafe New Zealand.  

The Certificate is a prerequisite for a local authority permit to operate which is also a mandatory requirement under the Regulations.

Last week, the Council says, it received a request to issue a permit to operate from the Kapiti Miniature Railway & Model Engineering Society. The previous permit expired on 13 October 2017.

Council subsequently discovered the Society’s underlying Certificate from Worksafe would expire yesterday.

As a result Council did not issue the Society with its local permit and provided it with advice about seeking a ‘Certificate of Registration’. Council has now reported this matter to WorkSafe.

The Council says this is the third time that the Society’s ‘Certificate of Registration’ has expired and it has not met its operational requirements under the Regulations.

It says WorkSafe has told Council that it has not received an application from the Kapiti Miniature Railway & Model Engineering Society, and WorkSafe anticipates that it would take 20 working days to process the Society’s application once it has been received.