Transcript TITLE

International Rail Safety Conference
GOA
October 2007
Innovative and Cooperative Approach to
Improve Safety
at Rail Level Crossings
in Australia
Phil Sochon
Deputy CEO
Australasian Railway Association
www.ara.net.au
Presentation Outline
 Road user causal factors
 The behavioural challenge - New national
approach?
 Road user behavioural survey
 Education and enforcement pilot
 Future national LX management
 Learnings
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Lismore
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Impact
Most serious safety concern faced by the
Australian rail system
Approx.100 collisions (trains VS vehicles)
Emerging trend involving heavy vehicles
– 17 months, 12 Collisions, 17 fatalities
– more than $100 million in damages
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Collisions Profile
Ref: 'Level Crossing Accident Fatalities', Australian Transport Safety Bureau , 2002
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Situations
Ref: 'Prospects for Improving the Conspicuity of Trains at Passive Railway Crossings', Draft Report
RC 2748-1, ARRB, September 2002. Note – some crash data unknown
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Causal Factors
Causal Factors
Fatal level crossing
crashes
Other fatal road
crashes
Adverse weather or road
conditions
13%
9%
Alcohol/drugs
9%
31%
Fatigue
3%
8%
Driver error
(unintended)
46%
22%
Excessive speed
7%
23%
Other risk taking
3%
5%
Ref: 'Level Crossing Accidents', Monograph 10, ATSB, 2002
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Road User Error &
Violation
The Behavioural Challenge
– Low level of jurisdiction activities to address
road user behaviour
– Lack of national coordinated programs
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Ban Ban Springs
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Kerang
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Rail Network in
Australia
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Lack of National Coordinated
Road Safety Programs
 Low priority for road agencies
 Data
– Pedestrian fatalities – rail toll
– Vehicles fatalities – road toll
 Ambiguity in the responsibilities of stakeholders at level
crossings.
 Rail industry tried to control non-rail entities (vehicles
and pedestrians), over which it has no jurisdiction or
funding.
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Australian Railway Crossing
Strategy Implementation Group
(ARCSIG)
 National Railway Level Crossing Safety Strategy formed in
response to major level crossing crashes in 2003.
 ARCSIG formed to oversee activities under the Strategy.
– dual-modal (road and rail) membership.
 ARCSIG identified the need for awareness and education programs
as part of a large program.
 ARA agreed to lead development of education and awareness
– Initially focused on the Operation Lifesaver
– Initial approach to State Government Transport Ministers was
unsuccessful in gaining support.
– New approach was adopted.
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New Approach
Address Road User Behaviour
National level
Rail lead / coordinate
Engage road authorities in all jurisdictions
Proposal to ATC, approved for 2 years
(asked for 5 years)
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Need for National
Behavioural Strategy
 Benefits of national behavioural programs
–
–
–
–
–
improve safety at all railway level crossings
value for money (pooling resources)
economy of scale
greater impact of the messages
programs based on better research, will be better
targeted, resulting in the most cost effective
outcomes.
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Behavioural Coordination
Group (BCG)
Governance
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Key deliverables
National Survey
Benchmarking community attitudes/behaviour
at level crossings – November 07
Behavioural Programs
State mass media and community education
programs
Education &
Enforcement Pilot
Establish ground rules to aid development &
implementation of education & enforcement
National Workshop
Information exchange, February 08
Inventory
Existing behavioural programs in Australia
and overseas, update annually
Webpage
One stop shop, available October 07
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National Road User
Survey
 Objective
– Identify awareness and attitudes of road users towards level
crossings.
 Phases
– Qualitative – 3 focus groups, 25 telephone & Face to Face
Interviews (1 hour)
– Quantitative – 4,400 telephone interviews,
– Urban, Urban fringe, Rural/Regional, Remote
– All jurisdictions
 Special groups
– High risk groups i.e. young drivers, heavy vehicle drivers
– Disabilities
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National Survey
Quantitative Questions:
 What factors come to mind which may contribute to
unsafe conditions or crashes at RLCs?
 How long is a reasonable time to wait at an RLC?
 Have you ever crossed a RLC and not been aware of it
until afterwards?
 How likely are you to be penalised for rule-breaking
behaviour at an RLC as compared to speeding?
 Can you tell me if there is a difference in what you do
when approaching the two types of crossings?
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Education & Enforcement
Pilot
 Objective
– to develop guidelines for effective, practical and sustainable
enforcement and community education programs at level
crossings, for use across all jurisdictions.
 Key stakeholders
– governments
– railway companies
– transport safety organisations
– police
– community road safety councils.
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Education & Enforcement
Pilot
 Victoria
– Sites: 4 trial sites + 4 controlled sites in metro, regional, rural
– Measurements of traffic behaviour
• pre-trial
• post-trial
– Trial
• education
• enforcement
– Evaluation & Analysis
– Report / guidelines
– Roll out to other jurisdictions
 Northern Territory – report company based initiative
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Way Forward
 ARCSIG good initial governance model, but
• no senior government support,
• no funding to execute significant level crossing programs
• low level representation of road management agencies
 BCG governance more responsive and effective at a
national level but lacks
• long term focus,
• coverage of all related level crossing aspects
 ARA proposes the establishment of a new management
group, Australian Level Crossing Action Group (ALCAG)
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Australian Level
Crossing Action Group
ATC
SCOT
National LX Safety
Strategy (5 yrs)
Road Group
$400 K +
BCG
Research
Evaluation
Projects
Tasking
Rail Group
ALCAG (ARCSIG)
Chair: Rail Gp (co chair Road Gp)
ITS
Data
Executive Director +
Project Manager
Info &
Infrastructure
Enforcement
Resources Standards
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ALCAM
Learning:
Strategic Alliances and
Partnership Vital
 Partnership approach between Industry,
Government, road, rail & the police
– Note: Canada’s Direction 2006 model.
 Benefits:
– Stakeholders managing those aspects best suited to
their competencies
– Expertise of each stakeholder can be drawn upon as
necessary, allowing the development and delivery of
better programs.
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Learning:
Use Existing Road Safety
Mechanisms
 Benefits:
– The messages are delivered to local communities through Community
Road Safety Councils
– Less resource intensive
– More cost effective
– Local communities are well informed
– A sense of community responsibility for safer road user behaviour is
created
– Highly practical and sustainable
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What can we do for you?
Share National Level Crossing
Behavioural Strategy and findings of
survey and targeted education and
enforcement program
www.ara.net.au
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Potential for
Catastrophe
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Thank you
Phil Sochon
Deputy CEO & Manager Government Relations
Australasian Railway Association
Tel: + 61 2 6270 4503
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.ara.net.au
www.ara.net.au