Cup Day trouble-makers be warned: Metro Trains take to the skies

Metro will use drones in a bid to track trespassers who decide to invade train tracks as racegoers head to Flemington for tomorrow’s Melbourne Cup.

Two drones will sweep the tracks between Southern Cross station and the course amid concerns trouble-makers and protesters could attempt to grind the network to a halt, as has happened in previous years.

Metro Trains chief executive Catherine Baxter told Tony Jones, filling in for Neil Mitchell on 3AW Mornings, that the new “eyes in the sky” will quickly zoom in on any trespassers.

“We will look to see where they are … and then engage with Victoria Police,” she said.

“We also have out own authorised officers and network security staff who will goo and look to remove trespassers from the tracks and allow the network to run.”

On the ground, Metro Trains has brought on additional staff to monitor crowds.

The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses reportedly plans to have a several hundred demonstrators at Flemington today, but the activist group’s campaign director, Elio Celotto, says they have no intention of causing major disruption for race goers.

“We won’t be doing anything shocking,” he said.

Superintendent Therese Fitzgerald said she’s confident police have all the resources they need to keep racegoers safe.

The extra measures come after protesters caused chaos at the 2017 Melbourne Cup, dumping a car on the train tracks and scaling a crane to hang a banner over the track.

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(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)