It’s an automatic signal which should not (used not) to need permission to pass at stop (or when defective). Let alone written permission. I’m not sure what the rules are for Metro these days.

And Wallan was due to a little bit more than “not following proper precautions” – IMO the precautions adopted were completely inadequate to manage the risks.

OTOH, locking passengers in the train for three hours because it eliminates the ‘risk’ of detraining them is not IMO proper risk management either.