Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom: Car strikes train on level crossing

Investigators are pondering what led a motorist to drive into the side of a Tynne and Wear Metro train at the Howden Station open active level crossing. Although the motorist escaped without injury his car was rather less lucky. A passenger travelling on the Metro train also received minor injuries.

Whatever the cause of the accident which occurred during the evening of June 27th, 2010; Nexus, the regional passenger transport authority issued a reminder to motorists of using level crossings safely. In particular, Nexus has stressed the importance of motorists respecting the red lights when they are active.

(June 28th, 2010)

Almendralejo, Spain: Contractor bankrupt = delayed elimination

Legal issues associated with the bankruptcy of a contractor have delayed the elimination of level crossings in Almendralejo. The bankruptcy of the, contractor Ploder, in November 2009 led to a suspension of the work on behalf of ADIF, Spain’s national rail infrastructure manager. Now, progress on eliminating the level crossings is still dependent on the cancellation of Ploder’s contract. This must preced the appointment of the replacement contractor to eliminate five level crossings already identified by ADIF. The delay is in part a function of Ploder having sub-contracted some of the works for which it was responsible.
(June 26th, 2010)

St Georgen am Attersee, Austria: Ignoring a stop sign leads to spinal injuries

A motorist who apparently failed to stop at the stop sign at a passive level crossing in St Georgen am Attersee will remember the crossing as the source of his spinal injuries. The accident which occurred on June 25th, 2010 did not cause serious damage to the train and caused no harm to either train crew or passengers.

(June 25th, 2010)

Provision of an underpass isn’t sufficient it would seem if people still consider it acceptable to cross the railway at grade. This was the case during the late evening of June 24th, 2010 when a large group of young people heading to a beach festival was mowed down by a train. Twelve were killed and a further 14 injured in Castelldefels Playa, near Barcelona when they were struck by a second train which was not stopping. At the time of the accident, the subway was congested with other arriving passengers at the time of the accident.

(June 25th, 2010)

Carregal do Sal, Portugal: Another level crossing replaced by underpass

The latest in string of level crossings to be eliminated in Portugal is the Inferior Rodoviária level crossing located in Oliveira do Conde, Carregal do Sal. The replacement underpass constructed with a civic contribution of €0.12m and a total budget of €0.53m was opened to pedestrian and vehicular traffic on June 25th, 2010.

The contract for the underpass and associated highway works was let on September 30th, 2009 provided for construction of a 26.5 metre long underpass which is 8.5 metres wide and 5.04 metres high. The underpass was constructed on site and then, as a complete unit, insertred under the railway, thereby minimising interruption of rail traffic. The associated roadworks linked the Rua Manuel R. Correia with state highway 234.

(June 25th, 2010)

Campobasso, Italy: Level crossing an obstacle to emergency services

Fire and rescue services in Campobasso have declared the Via Croce Bojano level crossing to be a barrier to their timely response to incidents. This follows an on June 22nd, 2010 in which traffic congestion occasioned by the operation of the level crossing delayed their response to a fire which developed significantly between the call for assistance and their delayed arrival at the scene of the blaze.

Subsequently, local politicians have reiterated calls for progress towards the replacement of the level crossing with an underpass.

(June 24th, 2010)

Translink, operator of Northern Ireland’s railways is again targeting level crossing abuse across the province. To reinforce the message Translink with assistance from the Northern Ireland Fire Service organised a mock collision between a train and a car.

In addition, Translink released CCTV images of level crossing abuse to urge the public not to take risks or get caught out.

Translink’s Head of Operations Ian Campbell explained “Safety is our top priority and as such we want to ensure all our passengers, the general public and employees stay safe. Many people continue to take chances at railway crossings both as motorists and as pedestrians, placing themselves and others including people on the train, at risk”.

The collision was staged on a disused level crossing in Antrim to demonstrate that safety measures are at level crossings for a reason.  Mr Campbell said “We have a zero tolerance approach to this kind of behaviour and prosecute where we can. In the last year we have already seen several convictions some resulting in significant penalties of over GB£1,000”.

Translink have reinforced the CCTV provision at crossings as this serves as a powerful deterrent to help prevent level crossing abuse. When incidents do occur, Translink uses footage to investigate, apprehend and prosecute offenders where possible. Translink are using high quality mobile camera equipment at many railway crossings to serve as a powerful deterrent to prevent misuse. Translink will continue to expand use of CCTV across the network. Translink is also using CCTV images taken from modern on-train forward facing cameras.

Fire Service Area Commander Brian McClintock said “All too often fire-fighters witness first-hand the carnage on our roads and the lives completely destroyed as a consequence of a moment’s inattention or taking unnecessary risks on our roads.  We all have a responsibility to make our roads safer and our message to road users is – cut it out before we cut you out”

Translink continues to highlight their reward scheme, which offers up to GB£1,000 reward to anyone who gives evidence leading to a successful prosecution. 

(June 24th, 2010)

Staged collision, Translink

Wokingham, United Kingdom: Police crackdown at death crossing

British Transport Police (BTP) are Cracking down on motorists who blatantly run the red lights at a level crossing in Berkshire that was the scene of a fatal accident in March this year (LXinfo April 2010) and also one in 2008. The Waterloo Road level crossing in Wokingham sees, according to BTP, around 30 motorists run the red lights during a rush hour.

BTP sources say that the objective is to ticket all those who are caught running the red lights in anticipation that they will be appropriately fined, have their driving licenses endorsed and in some cases sent on a drivers’ education programme.
There are aspirations to construct a new road and eliminate this level crossing. However, the funding to permit this has not, at present, been secured.

(June 23rd, 2010)

Livorno, Italy: Trapped by a level crossing

A level crossing in Livorno is generating waves of protest from road users because it is not unusual to have to wait for upwards of ten to fifteen minutes at any one time. Indeed, there have been occasions when the level crossing has been closed to road traffic for 30 minutes.

The issues are nothing new with the restrictions imposed by the pattern of train services for at least the past 30 years. Indeed, plans for an underpass were touted that long ago. However, to construct an underpass would mean taking small amounts of land from properties adjacent to the level crossing. This has has in the past been deemed to be in the “too difficult” category of local political issues. However, this is of little consolation to those who try and manage the risks associated with pedestrians who are not prepared to wait for the level crossing barriers to be raised again.

Maybe, the issue is really that of cost as elimination of the level crossing and replacement by way of an underpass has been assessed at €7.5m of which the civic authorities might have to find more than half. Indeed, there were hopes that the project would go ahead during 2009. Prior to this, in 2004, railway authorities had said that work would start the following year. This was accompanied by recognition that a road-over-rail bridge was not a tenable solution for the Via della Sorgenti grade separation.

(June 22nd, 2010)

Mol, Belgium: Systemic abuse gives photo-enforcement a rich haul

More than 100 motorists a month are now experiencing the consequences of being caught by photo-enforcement cameras at the Statiestraat level crossing in Mol. In every case they have been captured not stopping as required by the lights protecting the barrier equipped level crossing. The cameras wee installed in February 2009 to detect all red light offences. Prosecution following a level crossing red light incident can lead to penalties comprising fines of between €220 and €2,700 as well as a suspension of a driving licence for between eight days and five years, depending on the nature of the offence.

Now Infrabel, the Belgian national rail infrastructure manager is calling for photo-enforcement systems to be fitted to all high-risk level crossings in an effort to stamp out systemic abuse of active level crossings across the country. However, further progress will need road traffic laws amending to ensure that all red-light offences are prosecuted, rather than just those where the motorists speed over the level crossing is 30 kph or more. With more than 200 photo-enforcement systems anticipated to be installed before 2015, Infrabel is preparing to commit €3m to facilitate achieving this strategic aim

(June 22nd, 2010)

Lagny-le-Sec, France: Secretary of State launches radar to mark ILCAD

Dominique Bussereau, Secretary of State for Transport, marked the International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) held on June 22nd, 2010 by launching a radar based photo enforcement system. This system which is the first of its kind in France has been installed at an active half-barrier level crossing in Lagny-le-Sec, Oise.

The use of a red-light photo-enforcement system is an important weapon in the armoury available for use at level crossings which cannot be eliminated, which remains the primary goal. The French response to level crossing safety issues needs to be seen against the 120 accidents at level crossings which in 2009 claimed the lives of 36 people. This level of harm can, in retrospect, be seen as a generally acceptable level of safety until the impact of the collision between a bus and a train in the Haute-Savoie in 2008 which claimed the leves of seven teenagers.

Since the accident in 2008, a national plan was developed to ensure that each of the 18,459 level crossings in France was either eliminated or appropriately protected. However, given the prevailing level of red light running, it is necessary that radar based photo-enforcement is used to drive home the importance of stopping at level crossings when the lights protecting the crossing require it rather than after the lights have been flashing for a while.

Plans call for the roll-out of the new photo enforcement system to 100 high risk level crossings across France by 2012. Lagny-le-Sec was chosen for the first installation as it is a level crossing with a history that sees it near the top of the list of bad-actor crossings in France. Going forward, breaking barriers and running red lights will not pass without the imposition of a €135 fine and four penalty points on the offender’s driving licence.

(June 22nd, 2010)

Ottendorf, Germany: Van runs off crossing and straddles the railway

A motorist came to grief on a level crossing in Ottendorf, near Cuxhaven, when his van skidded and slid off the level crossing surface onto the ballasted tracks. The van was left straddling the railway at around 05.30 in the morning of June 19th, 2010.
A prompt response by police enabled them to position their patrol car on the crossing with blue lights flashing as a warning to the driver of an approaching freight train.

The police investigation has concluded that the skid was initiated some 65 metres before the level crossing where a diesel oil slick was found. As such, this is a road accident which ended up as a railway incident, rather than an incident where the behaviour of the motorist or configuration and operation of the level crossing need to be taken account of.

(June 22nd, 2010)

Silkeborg, Denmark: 14-year-old killed on active level crossing

A 14-year-old girl was killed when she was struck by a train on an active level crossing in Silkeborg protected by lights and audible alarms on June 20th, 2010. The level crossing in question is close to the girl’s home and it is known that she was familiar with the crossing. However, reports suggest that the victim was listening to music and wearing headphones and remained oblivious to the approaching train. This issue is recognised in Denmark and other jurisdictions where, principally the young, do not recognise the dangers of wearing headphones when out and about the highway.
(June 21st, 2010)

The driver of a stolen car crashed through lowered level crossing barriers just nine seconds before a train passed over the level crossing. The incident occurred at the King’s Dyke level crossing on the A605 highway between Whittlesey and Peterborough. The criminal was, at the time of the incident, trying to outrun police officers in pursuit.

The incident which saw the passenger train run through debris strewn across the level crossing occurred during the afternoon of June 20th, 2010.

(June 21st, 2010)

Oliveira de Azeméis, Portugal: REFER prevails with crossing closure

REFER, Portugal’s national rail infrastructure manager, has, at the second attempt secured agreement to the elimination of a level crossing in Macinhata da Seixa, Oliveira de Azeméis despite opposition from citizens who consider the level crossing essential. The first attempt at closure of the crossing was thwarted by local people removing the barriers that had been placed to prevent use of the crossing.

Now, REFER has constructed concrete walls which have definitively eliminated access to the site of the former level crossing. This is in accordance with an agreement reached between REFER and the local authority reached in 2008 which provided for the elimination of 12 level crossings in total. Now, there are local politicians asking for the protocol to be revised with fewer closures. Why, because they are faced with voters who are opposed to the closure of their local level crossings.

Opposition to the closure of the Macinhata da Seixa level crossing has been opposed principally by farmers who argue that it is more dangerous for them to use the alternative route which involves them taking their machinery along a main road. Those opposed to closure argue that an upgraded active level crossing would be the correct solution.

In total Oliveira de Azeméis has 26 of the 160 on the Linha do Vouga rail corridor. REFER plans originally called for spending €1.7m to address level crossings in Oliveira de Azeméis with approaching half of them to be closed. Now these cost estimates have increased by €1m and there are those who hold the opinion that the total cost will be nearer €7m.

(June 16th, 2010)

The independent Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has released a bulletin into the fatal collision on a level crossing in Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, Wales, which says that line-side vegetation obstructed the view of the line at the time of the accident in September 2010 (LXinfo October 2009, LXinfo May 2010). The vegetation obstructing the view of and from the crossing has since been cut back.

The RAIB suggestion that installation of miniature warning lights to this user worked crossing could have prevented a collision has drawn a response from Network Rail, contained within the bulletin, that miniature warning lights increase the risk to users of the crossing.

The rationale for RAIB proposing miniature warning lights is that the use of the telephone to establish it is safe to cross can mean waiting for up to 20 minutes for a train as the signalling section on which the crossing sits is very long. Using miniature warning lights with local train detection would significantly reduce waiting time.

The RAIB bulletin records that the level crossing telephone was last used three before the fatal incident. This suggests that regular users like the 83-year-old victim routinely crossed without first establishing from the signaller that it was safe for them to cross the railway. This and knowledge of the train timetable perhaps explains why the accident occurred as the train involved in the collision was an additional working over and above the Cambrian Line’s regular passenger service.

 

The RAIB bulletin can be found at: http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/Bulletin
%20(Penrhydeudraeth)%2007-2010.pdf

(June 16th, 2010)

 

Penrhyndeudraeth UWC, restricted view, source RAIB

Culleredo, Spain: Pedestrian over-bridge in exchange for a level crossing

ADIF, Spain’s national rail infrastructure manager has completed a project to replace a level crossing in Culleredo, Galicia, on the Palencia – A Coruña rail corridor with a pedestrian-over-rail bridge on the Avenida de Fonteculler.

The work has involved an investment of €0.284m which has in addition to the footbridge funded the installation of ramped access and associated highway works.
This is the ninth level crossing to be eliminated on a 15km stretch of the Palencia – A Coruña rail corridor.

(June 15th, 2010)

Culleredo, source ADIF

Trustrup Djursland, Denmark: Car dragged 300 metres in fatal collision

A woman was killed when the car in which she was travelling was dragged 300 metres along the railway following a collision on a level crossing in Obdrupvej, near Trustrup Djursland. The accident occurred at an open level crossing during the morning of June 14th, 2010.

(June 14th, 2010)

Notre-Dame-de-la-Garenne, France: Grade separation on the way

The Gaillon level crossing in Notre-Dame-de-la-Garenne, Eure will be replaced by a road-over-rail bridge although it has fortunately been the scene of a fatal accident. The level crossing in question crosses four railway tracks used by 155 trains a day travelling at speeds of up to 160 kph. Although the road is closed to road traffic each night, it is heavily used by trucks serving nearby commercial and industrial premises.

The funding for this grade separation project involves funding from both regional and departmental sources. It has taken ten years since the project was identified as a priority for all agreements and funding to be in place permitting a start of work this month.

(June 14th, 2010)

A cyclist was killed when he was struck by a train on a level crossing in Heusenstamm, Offenbach. Police sources have said that a 59-year-old man ignored the level crossing controls cycling around lowered barriers into the path of an approaching passenger train. The accident occurred on June 13th, 2010.

(June 14th, 2010)

Herentels, Belgium: Collision avoided with truck stuck on crossing

A truck which became stuck on an active barrier equipped level crossing in Herentels was saved from a collision because a train driver was able to bring his train to a stand short of the obstructed level crossing. However, the incident on June 11th, 2010 delayed road and rail traffic for an hour before the truck could be extricated from the Poederleeseweg level crossing.

(June 13th, 2010)

Network Rail, Britain’s national rail infrastructure manager has called on motorists to respect the lights controlling the Shiplake, Oxfordshire, level crossing.

Despite repeated warnings, people continue to misuse the active open crossing, Network Rail said. According to the rail infrastructure manager, there have been 28 reports of dangerous and illegal behaviour at the Shiplake crossing since 2007. These included five near-misses where train drivers have reported a close encounter with their train narrowly avoiding hitting a road vehicle.

Network Rail says that both motorists and pedestrians frequently ignore the warning signs and lights, risking their lives by crossing when the red lights are flashing. Network Rail says that the "true figure" of how many people misused the Shiplake active open level crossing was "likely to be significantly higher" than the number of incidents logged by the railway.

(June 13th, 2010)

Red runner at Shiplake level crossing, source Network Rail

Schnaittach, Germany: Two women injured on open crossing

Two young women were injured when the car in which they were travelling was struck by a train in Schnaittach, Bayern. The accident which happened on an open level crossing has been attributed to a failure of the driver to see the approaching train. One of the women subsequently died from injuries sustained in the collision which occurred on June 11th, 2010.

(June 11th, 2010)

ProRail the Dutch national rail infrastructure manager, is deploying surveillance systems normally used to counter terrorist threats to protect the railway. Although usually deployed where vandalism is rife or trespass endemic; they are also deployed in a level crossing context. For example at the Verlengde Lodewijkstraat in Groningen the cameras are being used to counter the systematic abuse of this level crossing by pedestrians who have no respect for lowered barriers. Indeed, the cameras have captured images and thus evidence of those who cross when they should not on both their journeys to work in the morning and return later in the day.

(June 3rd, 2010)

• The tram driver not perceiving the risk in sufficient time
• The speed of the tram and its relationship to the driver’s training
• The tram not stopping at the tram-stop
• The pedestrians’ assumptions about the tram’s position
• The tram driver’s attention towards the tram-stop
• The tram driver’s assumptions about the people in the tram shelter
• The feasibility that the tram driver’s inexperience played a part.

• Blackpool Transport Services Ltd (BTS) management should develop and document a company-wide policy for the determination and application of speed limits throughout the network. This should include a maximum speed for non-stopping trams through tram-stops. They should also develop, document, train and brief a speed limit signage policy
• BTS should develop and document an effective and consistent system to monitor compliance with speed limits among tram drivers, and adjust BTS recruitment, training and compliance procedures as necessary to increase levels of compliance.

June 3rd, 2010

Xixún, Spain: The last level crossing in town is to be eliminated

FEVE, the regional rail operator across Northern Spain, is well om the way to completing the works which will allow the last level crossing in Xixún to be eliminated. On this occasion a new grade separated highway is being provided.

The new underpass has allowed the reopening of the road linking the AS-1 highway and the City with the A64 interurban highway at a cost of some €5m by the time work is complete in April 2011.

(June 3rd, 2010)

The last level crossing is replaced

Toro, Spain: Citizens call for a proper crossing to reach the river

Following a recent incident involving a pedestrian, ADIF, the national rail infrastructure manager has installed fences preventing further access across the railway to reach the river Duero. As a result, affected citizens are calling on the civic authorities to work with ADIF to re-establish a route to the river. While there is a road available, many residents of Toro are reluctant to use it because it lacks any dedicated pedestrian route. Indeed, many consider the highway route to the river to be substantially more dangerous than the erstwhile trespass route across the railway which was, ironically, at the site of a former level crossing.

(June 3rd, 2010)

Works valued at €3.5m are in hand to eliminate two level crossings and construct a new railway station in Azitain. The works which are expected to be complete within fifteen months will be undertaken by UTE Construcciones Galdiano-Coprosa and form part of a wider programme of works to upgrade the  Bilbao-Donostia-San Sebastian rail corridor.

In so far as the level crossings are concerned they will be eliminated when a pedestrian over bridge is constructed. Vehicular traffic is to be diverted over existing routes across the railway.

(June 3rd, 2010)

A ninety two-year-old pedestrian was killed when hit by a train in La Placa. The accident occurred on a level crossing located in the La Placa area of Ponferrada. As this is the second death in similar circumstances within a year, questions are being asked whether there is a systemic weakness in the controls at level crossings used regularly by elderly pedestrians.

(June 3rd, 2010)

Wem, United Kingdom: Despite high profile initiatives, abuse continues

Notwithstanding the efforts of Network Rail and British Transport Police to educate users and fines handed down by the courts for abuse, motorists continue to run the red lights at the quad-gate equipped level crossing in Wem (LXinfo September 2009). Now the latest batch of five miscreants has been found guilty for their failure to comply with the requirement to stop when red flashing lights are showing. No doubt, this isn’t the last that Market Drayton Magistrates Court will hear from motorist who insist on running the red at what Network Rail says is the sixth most abused level crossing in Great Britain.

(June 3rd, 2010)

Oberwart, Austria: Fatal accident at crossing where citizens have called for action

A motorist was killed in a collision with a train on the Molkerei level crossing in Oberwart which has for years been of concern to residents. Indeed, a group of citizens has been calling for the level crossing to be upgraded. However, the local view is that progress has not been made because no one party has been willing to stump up the necessary money.

The citizen’s action group has repeatedly called for the addition of a barrier system to the Molkerei level crossing. In their eyes, the fatal accident which occurred on May 27th, 2010 was avoidable but for the failure of the responsible authorities to upgrade the level crossing in light of past accidents. Previously more than 600 residents have signed a petition calling for action at both this open crossing and that on Alte Straße at which there was a non-fatal accident in 2006. The citizen viewpoint is that Oberwart’s Mayor should have been more aggressive in pursuing level crossing upgrades; and, that the rail authorities should have paid greater heed to the viewpoint of those who are put at risk when they use these open crossings.

Now, following the accident on May 27th, 2010, it appears that the various parties are willing to get together in an attempt to reach agreement on a way forward for the Oberwart level crossings.

(June 2nd, 2010)

(June 2nd, 2010)

Neumünster, Germany: Collision on active open crossing

Occupants of a car escaped without serious injury when the car in which they were travelling was hit by a train on an active open level crossing in Krusenhof, Neumünster. The collision occurred in the early morning of June 1st, 2010, resulting in considerable damage to the car and also the passenger train.

A factor being considered is whether the age of the car driver – who was 71 – is material to the causes of the accident or whether location specific factors are dominant. In any event, it appears that the motorist was unaware of the presence of a train when he took a decision to cross the railway.

(June 1st, 2010)

Carlet, Spain: Another level crossing bites the dust

The level crossing at the intersection of highways CV-546 and CV-50 and Line One of the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana right of way in Carlet has been eliminated. This has been achieved by construction of a road-over-rail bridge and 355 metres of new highway which is to form a part of a new Carlet by-pass

(June 1st, 2010)

Appenzell, Switzerland: Crossing reopens with barriers

The level crossing on Appenzell’s Wührestrasse has reopened following an upgrade which included the addition of barriers mandated following a fatal accident in August 2009. The fatal accident which led to a federally mandated closure of the level crossing immediately after the collision with a moytor-cyclist has inconvenienced many. However, there is a general welcoming of the enhanced configuration of the level crossing at the intersection with the Appenzeller Bahn right of way.

Level crossings are a major safety issue for the Apprnzeller Bahn which has some 300 to manage. Current plans and funding allow about 20 to be addressed each year, with closure the preferred option. Where closure is not possible upgrading to active status with lights and barriers is the norm.

(May 28th, 2010)