Railway crossing safety initiatives
The Victorian Government undertakes a number of initiatives to improve safety at railway crossings.
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In November 2009, the Government published a
level crossing safety strategy: Towards Zero. This strategy sets out important initiatives to improve safety and reduce deaths and injuries at level crossings.
ALCAM
A comprehensive survey of all road and pedestrian railway crossings in Victoria was completed in 2007. The surveys were completed using the Australian Level Crossing Assessment Model (ALCAM) which identifies risks at railway crossings and provides the basis for prioritising crossings for upgrade.
The ALCAM model has been formally adopted by all state, territory and federal governments in Australia as the best means for evaluating the relative safety risk of railway crossings and what treatments to use to improve safety.
The completed
list of level crossings assessments (PDF, 115 KB, 12 pp.) assists road and rail safety experts to plan for future upgrades.
Automated advanced warning signs
$11.1 million has been allocated to install automated advance warning signs at 53 crossings in regional Victoria, providing every rail crossing on a regional highway with active protection. The electronic signs are triggered by the approach of a train and provide a visible warning to drivers. The signs will be located approximately 250 metres ahead of the rail line. The signs will be installed between 2007 and 2009. ALCAM assessments are used to identify sites.
Don’t risk It! level crossing safety campaign
Don't risk it! is a multi-pronged safety awareness campaign that encourages all road users to take care when using a level crossing and reminds them to slow down, obeying the signs and being prepared to stop. It includes television, radio and print advertising and an education CD ROM for primary school students.
Line of sight problems
ALCAM surveys will be used to help eliminate 'line of sight' problems for motorists at crossings. In addition to general maintenance programs, a further $3 million will be spent primarily removing vegetation that may be impeding views of oncoming trains. Seventy-five priority crossing sites will be identified by the end of 2007 with works to begin in early 2008.
Level crossing safety strategy: Towards Zero
In November 2009, the Government published a
level cossing safety strategy: Towards Zero. This strategy sets out important initiatives to improve safety and reduce deaths and injuries at level crossings.
Level crossing upgrade program
The annual level crossing upgrade program aims to improve safety at crossings by upgrading controls from passive (signage only) to active crossings with boom barriers and/or flashing lights.
The program is delivered by
VicTrack in liaison with VicRoads and rail operators.
The order in which level crossings are upgraded is based on ALCAM assessments.
For further details visit the
Status of level and pedestrian crossing upgrades page on the VicTrack website.
New technologies
The Victorian Rail Crossing Safety Steering Committee will investigate how new technologies may be used to improve level crossing safety. The committee comprises experts from DOT, VicRoads, VicTrack and rail operators. It will look into whether Global Positioning System (GPS) devices and radio signalling could be used to alert drivers when they are approaching a level crossing.
Pedestrian crossing upgrade program
The Victorian Government is undertaking a program to improve the safety of railway crossings for pedestrians including upgrading pedestrian crossings from
passive to active protection implementing the recommendations of the
Wheelchair Safety at Rail Level Crossings Taskforce removing unauthorised railway pedestrian crossings.
For further details visit the
Status of level and pedestrian crossing upgrades page on the VicTrack website.
Penalties for motorists
Penalties for motorists crossing rail or tram tracks when either lights or other devices such as gates are operating have been increased from $177 and three demerit points to a $430 fine and the loss of four demerit points. A new offence has also been introduced to discourage drivers from speeding to beat a train by crossing railway tracks when lights and bells are operating or by weaving in between boomgates that are down. It carries a fine of 30 penalty units ($3,304), four demerit points and automatic three-month licence suspension.
Red light cameras
Red light cameras will be trialled for 12 months at Springvale Road in Nunawading and on the Midland Highway at Bagshot north of Bendigo. ALCAM was used to select the locations. Criteria for selection included location on a passenger rail line, road and rail vehicle volumes, existence of active controls (such as flashing lights and boomgates), and an accident or near miss record of more than one incident a year.
Crossings fitted with cameras will also have yellow box markings - a yellow paint grid - painted over the road surface at the level crossing to indicate the area of potential danger for a motor vehicle to be sitting on.
The cameras will be tested and installed during 2007-08 at a cost of $1.8 million. If successful, other sites for cameras will be identified.
Reduced speed limits
Speed limits have been lowered from 100 to 80 kilometres per hour on the approach to 72 level crossings in Victoria. The reduced speed limit alerts motorists of rail lines and gives greater reaction time.
Rumble strips
An $11.7 million project to install rumble strips at 200 level crossings was completed in May 2008. Rumble strips are raised strips on the road surface that provide drivers with an audible, visual and physical warning that they are about to arrive at a level crossing. They have been installed at crossings where rail traffic volumes may be low and motorists may be less vigilant about safety risks. Two sets of strips are located before each crossing, approximately 250 metres and 150 metres ahead of the crossing. ALCAM assessments were used to identify sites for treatment.
See
Level crossings with rumble strips for a full list of the crossings by region.
Response to Inquiry into Improving Safety at Level Crossings
The
Victorian Government response to the Parliamentary Road Safety Committee Inquiry into Improving Safety at Level Crossings (PDF, 273 KB, 55 pp.) was tabled in Parliament in June 2009.
Read the media release.
The response is supported by the following documents