The court case consequent upon the death of two cyclists at a level crossing in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture on December 30th, 2010 is underway (LXinfo February 2011). The cause of the fatal accident was a motorist failing to stop for the level crossing and knocking the cyclists onto the crossing in the path of a train which struck them.

The court action alleges negligence on the part of the motorists whose car struck the cyclists as they were stopped at the crossing for an approaching train. Damages of JPY 148 million are being sought by relatives of those killed.

(August 31st, 2011)

A woman died when she was struck by a train on a level crossing between Makuharihongo and Makuhari railway stations in Chiba, Chiba Prefecture. The accident in which the woman was killed instantly occurred during the morning of August 29th, 2011.
(August 29th, 2011)

Pedestrians in their thousands are shunning the Tambaram flyover intended to replace a notorious level crossing (LXinfo March 2011), preferring instead to cross the railway at grade.

The replacement road-over-rail bridge opened in February 2011 does not have stairs allowing pedestrians to access the bridge, neither is there a link to the railway station which is the destination of many who are shunning the bridge.

Discussions with railway and civic authorities are being sought to discuss the folly of providing a bridge which, in the eyes of many pedestrians, of no value to them

(August 27th, 2011)

The death of a truck driver and serious injuries to his assistant in a level crossing collision in the village of El Fashn, near Beni Sueif, a week ago, has prompted a railway safety expert to call for the elimination of level crossings

Safety expert Ahmed Warshan’s call for the abolition of level crossings is made on the basis that they are inherently unsafe and a 19th century solution. Instead Mr Warshan argues, all public road – rail intersection should be grade separated.
"In post-revolution Egypt, it’s high time we do something to separate rail and road traffic. The Government must phase out all of the nation's level crossings and ban the building of new ones” said Mr Warshan.

However, Egypt’s Railway Authority argues that it is financially impractical to grade separate all public road – rail intersections with an estimated cost of EGP 1 million per project anticipated. Meanwhile the Ministry of Transport has reiterated that level crossings are safe if used properly.

(August 26th, 2011)

The Western Cape’s Transport Minister, Robin Carlisle, has called on the community, including families of the ten school children killed in a collision on the Buttskop level crossing in Blackheath in August 2010 (LXinfo September 2010) to challenge those they see misusing the level crossing.

The call for community vigilance and action was made following the memorial service held on August 25th, 2011.

(August 26th, 2011)

ONCF, the Moroccan national railway has completed a grade separation project in Bouskoura, located some 20km south of Casablanca. The project costing MAD 33 million has been funded by ONCF in conjunction with municipal and regional authorities. At the same time as the grade separation and closure of level crossing 4022 was inaugurated on August 25th, 2011, work began to eliminate the adjacent manned crossing, 4021, by construction of a new road bridge over the railway. In parallel a further two grade separation projects are in hand to eliminate two other manned crossings in 2012.

These grade separation projects are components of a wider programme to eliminate level crossings on the Casablanca – Fes – Oujda rail line. In turn this is a component of an ONCF initiative to eliminate 100% of level crossings in densely populated cities and 50% elsewhere. Since 2005, 42% of the wider programme has been achieved, involving delivery of 67 grade separations and the closure of 107 level crossings.
(August 26th, 2011)

Witnesses have questioned the integrity of the interlocking following the death of a 14-year-old on an active level crossing in Titagarh, Barrackpore, West Bengal. Witnesses have alleged that the level crossing barriers had not lowered as they should. Conversely, India’s Eastern Railway has asserted that the train would not have received a proceed signal aspect until the barriers had fully lowered.

(August 26th, 2011)

Whatever, the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident that occurred at approximately 10.25 on August 25th, 2011, local people protested for several hours the following morning, disrupting the morning peak train service. An element of those protesting attacked the nearby signal box, injuring the member of staff on duty and damaging equipment with the result that normal working did not resume until about 12.45.

A non-injury accident in Luanda is of note because it occurred as a result of taxi drivers insisting that they drop off and pick up passengers on the level crossing at which the accident occurred. The level crossing in question is in the Cipal neighbourhood and is traversed by taxis operating on the Mabor to São Paulo route.
(August 25th, 2011)

The Vikhroli level crossing in Greater Mumbai, at which Railway Protection Force (RPF) are routinely deployed to prevent misuse of the level crossing at which a footbridge is available, has witnessed yet another incident. This time it was an inebriated commuter attacking two RPF officers who sought to prevent him crossing the railway when it was unsafe so to do.

The irate drunk picked-up an iron bar and lashed-out at both officers at around 16.00 on August 23rd, 2011. Both officers were hurt in the incident and unsurprisingly the drunk was arrested.

(August 25th, 2011)

Four people were killed and a further two injured in a collision between a train and a car on the Sarsigola unmanned level crossing near the railway station in Kishanganj, Bihar.

(August 23rd, 2011)

A motorist was killed when the car in which he was travelling as hit by a train on a level crossing in Balikesir. Subsequent to the accident several reports ohave surfaced saying that the level crossing was “unreliable”. In one case it has been alleged that a barrier installed at the level crossing had been defective for ten days. Another report said that the roadway across the railway was defective and that vehicles could become trapped.

Investigations are underway to determine the veracity of statements which have alleged that the crossing was defective. The investigation will also seek to establish the extent to which the railway and other public agencies might be negligent in their management of the level crossing.

(August 11th, 2011)

Five people were killed when the light truck in which they were travelling was it by a train on an unmanned level crossing in Thayyil Mukku, near Oachira, Kerala. The accident which occurred at around 21.20 on August 6th, 2011 resulted in the truck being knocked into a nearby pond. Three bodies were recovered from the truck and a further two from the pool itself. An unknown number of others were injured.

(August 7th, 2011)

Residents and other users of the Bazgera level crossing should experience less delay when it is widened. The level crossing in question is on the road linking Palam Vihar with New Palam Vihar, Kerala, and is used by some 50,000 people a day. Moving to a wider crossing protected by quad barriers is a positive step. However, some see the widening and upgrade of the level crossing to be nothing more than a holding action as the real solution remains a road-over-rail bridge as traffic levels will continue to rise dramatically.

(August 7th, 2011)

A trishaw was struck by a train on the level crossing adjacent to the railway station in Thandi Kulam, near Vavuniya on August 5th, 2011. Witnesses attribute the accident to the impatience of the trishaw driver who ignored their shouts not to cross as a train was already in close proximity to the crossing. As a result a schoolboy travelling in the trishaw was seriously injured and his grandmother ejected from the trishaw by the force of the collision. The trishaw driver and the boy’s mother were uninjured as they were able to move clear when it became apparent that a collision was inevitable.

(August 6th, 2011)

 

The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) says they it is concerned at the increase in accidents involving trains and motor vehicles at level crossings. Since 2009 there have been more 85 collisions at level crossings which have resulted in the loss of 25 lives and injury to many more. The increase is consistent across the country and not concentrated in a particular region.

The most recent collision on NRZ infrastructure occurred on August 1st, 2011 at e bus on which they were travelling collided with a freight train running from Harare to Bindura.

(August 3rd, 2011)