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Monday 1 Jun 2020

UPDATED: Signalling upgrades give the green light to quicker and safer level crossings on the East Suffolk rail line

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Works have been completed along the 49 mile East Suffolk line to install essential new equipment, making level crossings safer and reducing wait times at user worked level crossings.

Network Rail has installed axle counters at 27 sites along the line between Ipswich and Lowestoft, connected by over 15 miles of new cabling. An axle counter is a part of the signalling system that detects whether a train is occupying a section of track between two points. Signallers use this to authorise users to cross at user worked level crossings.

This section of line features 28 user worked / footpath level crossings, whereby a person travelling by car or foot needs to call the signaller to ask permission to cross. A person wishing to cross the line could wait up to 10 minutes and sometimes even longer. This sometimes leads to people taking risks such as crossing before they get authorisation from the signaller.

The new system gives signallers better insight into train positions in those sections of track, allowing them to make more informed decisions, improving safety at level crossings and leading to shorter waiting times for motorists and pedestrians.

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “Our priority is to run a safe and reliable rail network and teams have been carrying out crucial work to make necessary improvements. The upgrade of this vital part of the signalling system makes the operation of level crossings safer and more efficient, benefiting passengers, motorists and pedestrians across Suffolk."

Work was carried out over four months at night and over two weekends to minimise disruption for those who needed to make essential journeys.