United Kingdom: Network Rail calls for driving test changes

Network Rail has called for a change to the United Kingdom’s driving test syllabus. The call is for there to be compulsory questions in the theory component of the test which cover the safe use of level crossings. This change moves beyond the current situation in which a component of the 50 hazard perception questions applied randomly covers level crossings.

The background to the call for change issued in the name of Iain Coucher, Network Rail’s Chief Executive is the incidence of abuse with more than 3,200 incidents recorded in 2009 of which 145 were categorised as near misses in which motorists crossed in front of trains with a very second margin.

Iain Coucher said: “I’m confident that lives will be saved if motorists learn how to safely use level crossings from the day they pass their test.
Our campaign is raising awareness of the very real dangers of running the risk but we think more can be done to change motorists’ behaviour.”
Level crossing incidents 2009

(March 10th, 2010)

India’s Minister of Railways, Mamata Banerjee, has presented the Railway Budget for 2010-2011 which includes a commitment to address level crossing risk on the national rail system. The new budget contains a commitment to man a further 1,000 level crossing during the budget year. However, more significantly the Minister announced that over the next five years, all the presently unmanned level crossing will be staffed. 

(February 24th, 2010)

Australia: National Railway Level Crossing Safety Strategy launched

Australia has launched a new National Railway Level Crossing Safety Strategy for the decade to 2020 that seek to deliver a nationally coordinated action plan to reduce deaths and near misses at Australian level crossings. The National Strategy complements the National Road Safety Strategy and importantly adopts the internationally accepted safe system approach.

The context of the strategy is the deaths and serious injuries at public and pedestrian railway level crossings across Australia remaining a serious national issue with an average of 37 deaths per year and many more non fatal incidents.

The Strategy has been developed by the Rail Level Crossing Group (RLCG) on behalf of the Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers working together through the Australian Transport Council to coordinate national transport and road safety policy issues.

To successfully implement the strategy the RLCG acknowledges the importance of ongoing rail sector engagement with the community, all levels of government, highways authorities and of course rail industry stakeholders. “It will only be by all of these interested parties working together that we can make a real difference” said Mr Henneveld Chairman of the RLCG and Commissioner of Main Roads for Western Australia.

Mr Henneveld added “Reducing crashes at railway level crossings will have a big impact on further reducing Australia’s road toll. Transport Ministers across the country are committed to delivering on this Strategy to improve safety outcomes at level crossings”.

The Strategy, approved by the Australian Transport Council, assigns responsibility for key actions including:

• Creating a nationally aligned approach to safety at railway level crossings
• Applying lessons from road safety practices to railway crossing safety management
• Improving community understanding of the risks and importance of compliance
• Harnessing the potential of rapidly emerging new technologies to railway level crossings.

Top obtain a copy of the strategy go to: www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/UnderstandingRoads/Rail/Pages/Rail.aspx

(February 19th, 2010)

Australian active open level crossing, source NTA

Australian wig-wag, source NTA

Australian full barrier level crossing, source NTA

Victoria’s Auditor General’s probe into the management of risk arising at level crossings is nearing completion with a report to Parliament expected towards the end of March 2010.

Factors which have led to the Auditor General’s probe are:

• A 2008 Commonwealth Government report finding that over half of all injuries at Australian level crossings between 2001 and 2006 occurred in Victoria
• The state government spend of AU$50m on improving pedestrian and highway level crossings between July 2006 and June 2008
• A further spend of AU$56m on grade separating the intersection between the Lilydale and Belgrave lines from Middleborough Road in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
• The Victoria Transport Plan inclusion of AU$540m to make level crossings safer across the state.

The audit is examine the adequacy of planning for managing safety risks at railway crossings, whether the prioritisation given to works is justified, and whether in the case of works conducted, the incidence and impact of railway crossing accidents has reduced.

The State Coroner’s investigation of deaths at Victoria’s level crossing is ongoing with the next step being a further directions hearing. It is understood that the inquests into the three accidents to be considered in detail will begin later this year.

(February 5th, 2010)

India’s Railway Minister, Mamata Banerjee has proposed an increase in special safety funding over the years through to 2020. At INR20 billion this would represent an increase of INR3 billion on the special funding provided since 2003 with a currently funded end date of 2013. To date the Indian Government has funded INR12 billion with INR5 billion raised by a surcharge on rail fares.

To date the special funding has been used to secure improved safety through a reduction in derailments, collisions, level crossing accidents and fires.

(February 4th, 2010)

The Obama administration is budgeting for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to introduce user charges totalling US$50m per year from October 1st, 2010. The US$50m that FRA hopes to pull in will sit alongside a request for an additional 31 staff for safety oversight.

The railway safety user fee was authorised some years ago but, is only now, to be introduced. The next step following budget approval will be for the FRA to develop a plan setting out how much it proposes for which services. The introduction will be through the formal rule-making process.

(February 2nd, 2010)