Level crossings
Proactive not reactive
Britain’s infrastructure manager Network Rail (NR) is undertaking the most comprehensive level crossing elimination and risk assessment programme in Europe. Kevin Smith asked Martin Gallagher, NR’s head of
level crossings, what the objective of this programme is, and what NR has already achieved.
A 32
ROUTINE Saturday afternoon trip to Cambridge for Christmas shopping ended in tragedy for two teenagers on December 3 2005 when they were hit by a train at Elsenham station, close to London Stansted airport.
What was initially cited as a tragic accident in a court tribunal held in 2007 was eventually found to be the fault of Britain’s infrastructure manager,
Network Rail (NR). The case was reopened in 2011 following the discovery of a previously unseen 2002 risk assessment document which recommended locking gates to the station’s pedestrian level crossing. NR overlooked this request at the time and was forced to pay a £1m fine and court costs in March 2012 after pleading guilty to three offences brought for failing to carry out an adequate
assessment of the risks at the crossing. The accident occurred after the girls opened the manual gate and walked onto the tracks while the crossing sirens were still sounding. They thought the siren was for the Cambridge-bound train that they wanted to catch, and had already passed the crossing. It was at this point that they were hit by a second passing train that was travelling through the station from Birmingham
IRJ December 2012
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