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Monday 14 Dec 2015

Programme to install barriers at ‘open’ level crossings complete

Region & Route:

National

More than 60 open level crossings have been fitted with a new modular barrier system to improve safety and reduce the risk of a road vehicle collision with a train. The barriers at Brewster Lane and Matt Pitts Lane in Skegness, Lincolnshire were brought into use this month, the final two of 66 crossings which have been upgraded as part of a three year national programme.

Following a fatal accident at Halkirk level crossing in Scotland in 2009, a Rail Accident Investigation Branch report identified automatic open level crossings (AOCL) as those with the highest risk of a collision on public roads, and Network Rail began work to find an innovative solution to upgrading those open crossings with the highest risk.

The solution was a modular approach, which enabled barriers to be retro-fitted to the existing signalling system instead of a costly full conversion to a conventional barrier design.  The first new barrier was fitted in 2012 at Ardrossan Harbour in North Ayrshire with 65 others installed at the highest risk AOCLs across Britain.

Graham Hopkins, Network Rail director of safety said: “If we can’t close a level crossing, we’ll look to make it safer. By finding a new, more cost-effective solution to upgrading open crossings with these add-on barriers, we’ve been able to make 66 level crossings significantly safer than they were before, and reduce the risk of any further tragic accidents like the one at Halkirk.

“We’re continuing to invest around £100m to improve safety at level crossings and have closed almost 1,000 since 2010 and upgraded and improved hundreds more as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan. We have the safest railway in Europe and there hasn’t been an accidental level crossing fatality on our railway since February 2015, the longest period since this programme began. However we cannot be complacent and will continue to work every day to improve safety at level crossings and keep people safe.” 

Notes to Editors:

Since 2010, Network Rail has closed 987 level crossings. It has also carried out the following improvements at level crossings:

• 1,100 crossings have improved sighting
• 494 level crossings fitted with brighter LED lights
• 113 level crossings fitted with spoken audible warnings to announce when “another train is coming” after one train has passed through
• 66 crossings fitted with a time delay, preventing a signaller from mistakenly raising the barriers as a train approaches (to prevent further Moreton-on-Lugg-type accidents)
• 20+ crossings fitted with Home Office approved red light safety cameras which act like speed cameras and capture motorists crossing after the warning sequence has begun.
• 15 BTP-operated fleet of mobile safety vehicles with number plate recognition camera technology introduced
• 81 level crossings are in the process of being fitted with power operated gates
• Less costly modular footbridges developed