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Lxinfo magazine - Safety spotlight
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The “Safety spotlight” section of LXinfo takes stories with parallels in other parts of the world. As always we look at a story which should be of world-wide interest.

This month’s safety spotlight covers the annual safety report published by the European Rail Agency (ERA) which shows 2009 to have been the best year yet for safety on Europe’s railways. The ERA report shows the value of benchmarking as a route to identifying good practice; something that we should be doing on a wider than Europe basis.

LXinfo welcomes comment form our readers. Indeed, it would be appropriate for you, our readers, to suggest topics for inclusion in the “safety spotlight” section: or, going further, to write a spotlight piece. Pieces should normally be no more than 750 words, in English and not promoting a single commercially sourced product.
ERA publishes annual safety report, 2009 safest year

The European Railway Agency (ERA) has published its fourth Annual Report on the development of Railway Safety in the European Union. The report shows that on the basis of data reported to ERA, the year 2009 was the safest year on the EU’s railways for both passengers and rail staff since ERA first reported covering 2006.

The report reiterates that rail travel remains a very safe mode of transport. However, despite this nearly 1,400 people still accidently die on EU railways each year; most of these fatalities are of unauthorised persons (trespassers) and level-crossing users. In addition more than 2,700 suicides have been recorded as having occurred on EU railways in 2009.

The ERA annual safety report highlights that the number of level crossing accidents constitutes a substantial share of the total number of accidents across the EU’s railways. Member States reported 1,284 level-crossing users killed in a total of 3,063 level-crossing accidents during the three years 2007–2009. There are about 124,000 level crossings in the EU, so that on average there are 4 level crossings in each 10 km section of track. Only 41% are equipped with active controls.

The proportion of level crossings equipped with active controls varies greatly between countries. Only in four countries – Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway and the Netherlands – are more than 75% of all level crossings so equipped. In six countries – Bulgaria, Estonia, Spain, Lithuania, Latvia and the United Kingdom – less than 25 % of level crossings are of active types. Despite this, the United Kingdom consistently records amongst the best level crossing safety performance in the EU.

 

To access the ERA safety report go to: http://www.era.europa.eu/Document-Register/Pages/Railway-Safety-Performance-in-the-European-Union-2011.aspx

(June 7th, 2011)

 
 
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