Recommendation Date
Recipient Name
NZTA
Text
The location of the Fruitvale Road level crossing close to the Fruitvale Road Station platform represents a risk to level-crossing users in the event of a platform overrun for whatever the reason. There is a delicate balance between the signalling ensuring the level crossing is protected in the event of a platform overrun and ensuring road users are not kept waiting for so long as to engender the known unsafe practice of road users ignoring signals and barriers and entering the level crossing ahead of passing trains.
Speed restrictions are often used around the rail network as a method of supplementing signals to ensure trains can stop within the available distance ahead without passing signals at danger.
The Commission recommends that the Chief Executive require KiwiRail Network to review the Fruitvale Road Station and associated arrangements for protecting the adjacent level crossing, to see if speed restrictions or other changes to the signalling system can be made to minimise the possibility of an overrunning train entering an unprotected level crossing, without compromising the waiting time for motorists using the level crossing. This review should be extended to other stations where the distance between the stations and level crossings is less than the recommended 150 metres.
Speed restrictions are often used around the rail network as a method of supplementing signals to ensure trains can stop within the available distance ahead without passing signals at danger.
The Commission recommends that the Chief Executive require KiwiRail Network to review the Fruitvale Road Station and associated arrangements for protecting the adjacent level crossing, to see if speed restrictions or other changes to the signalling system can be made to minimise the possibility of an overrunning train entering an unprotected level crossing, without compromising the waiting time for motorists using the level crossing. This review should be extended to other stations where the distance between the stations and level crossings is less than the recommended 150 metres.
Reply Text
We intend to work closely with KiwiRail to oversee the internal review recommended in this report with an aim to implementing and closing this recommendation as soon as practicable.
We note and agree with the comments in Para 4.13 of the draft final report and the comment that it is a delicate balance between the protection of the level crossing and increasing waiting time at the level crossing for motorists leading to unsafe practices.
Discussion on this review will commence on publication of the report and will be ongoing. All outstanding Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) recommendations also form an integral part of our annual safety assessments of the rail industry.
When this review is concluded and the appropriate evidence has been gathered, we will be liaising with TAIC with a view to closing this safety recommendation.
We note and agree with the comments in Para 4.13 of the draft final report and the comment that it is a delicate balance between the protection of the level crossing and increasing waiting time at the level crossing for motorists leading to unsafe practices.
Discussion on this review will commence on publication of the report and will be ongoing. All outstanding Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) recommendations also form an integral part of our annual safety assessments of the rail industry.
When this review is concluded and the appropriate evidence has been gathered, we will be liaising with TAIC with a view to closing this safety recommendation.
Related Investigation(s)