Level Crossing Workshop Road Rail Partnership Groups

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Level Crossing WorkshopRoad Rail Partnership
Groups

• 3 June 2009
• Steven Constantine
• Operations Risk Control Specialist

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Aim

• LXRAMs werent working
• Responsibilities not addressed
• Collaborate!
• Effect of crossings on road traffic delay(thus
  local environment transport plans)
• Optimal risk controls
• Effects of nearby planning
• Obligations under Road Safety Act

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specifically

• Collaborative approach to
• Close crossings, divert traffic flows
• Identify planning threats and opportunities
• Improve safety performance by
• Implementation of road based controls
• Reduce road based congestion and delay

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Scope

• Originally
• Public road rail interface
• Now
• Footpath bridleway level crossings
• Occupation crossings
• User issues concerns

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Partnership Groups

• Western (14)
• Carmarthen, Bridgend Borough
• Powys/Gwynedd/Ceredigion (Cambrian line)
• North Somerset, Torbay, Devon, North Cornwall
• Gloucester, South Gloucester, Worcester
• West Berkshire/Windsor/Maidenhead
• Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire
• Wiltshire/Swindon
• Scotland (1)
• Highland Council

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Partnership Groups (cont.)

• Midland Continental (4)
• Leicestershire RutlandNottinghamshire
  Nottingham CityDerbyshire and Derby
  CityStaffordshire Stoke-on-Trent City
• LNW (4)
• Sandwell Borough, Coventry CityMilton Keynes,
  Bedfordshire
• LNE (2)
• Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire

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Partnership Groups (cont.)

• Anglia (4)
• Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex
• Kent Sussex (2)
• Kent, East Sussex
• Wessex (5)
• Surrey, Wokingham BoroughSouthampton
  CityRichmond BoroughEast Hampshire

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Meeting Composition

• Frequency
• Network Rail
• Local management operational risk expertise
• Asset maintenance, engineering and liability
  expertise
• Community relations team
• Route enhancement expertise
• Local Authority / Highway Agency
• Highways Manager/Engineer, Road Safety Manager
• Transport/Road Planners Strategy/Policy
  Managers
• Rights of Way Officers
• Rail Development Officer

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Significant Achievements

• Highway Related
• Road speed reductions
• Blocking back
• Road junction improvements
• One-way traffic working
• Renewed/enhanced approach signage
• Additional street markings
• No through-road
• Improved street lighting
• Review of winter gritting policies

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Significant Achievements (cont.)

• Closure
• Joint identification of opportunities
• Support for complex longer term closures
• Status reductions
• Development of the AXIAT model
• Greater understanding of obligations
• Rights of Way
• Rationalisation
• Information to ramblers

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Significant Achievements (cont.)

• Problem Solving
• Improved Legal Order process
• Improved crossing failure contingency
• Use of town CCTV
• Filming of the DRTR TV Advert
• and established so many!

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Benefits of this Approach

• Enables integration of organisations schemes
• Simplified organisational points of contact
• Face-to-face, trust respect
• Resolution of issues
• Access to resources
• Reputational improvements

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Drawbacks..?

• LXRAM was a single meeting
• Time, resource, commitment
• Limited Police involvement
• Authorities not always willing
• Opposing priorities
• Funding

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What Next?

• Network-wide review
• Best practice
• How to achieve success
• Improve process
• Scope, frequency, attendance, format, guidance
• RRPGs
• Reinvigorate some of what weve got
• Establish more
• and maximise the opportunities!

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Summary

• Numerous RRPGs
• Significant achievements
• Wide range of benefits
• Few drawbacks
• Improvements needed
• Consistency of delivery
• Commitment from authorities