In-Depth Focus: Level Crossing Safety

Cross-sector collaboration to improve level crossing safety in France:

Alain Autruffe, Level Crossing Programme Director at SNCF Réseau, writes about the importance for both the road transport industry and the railway industry in France to work together in educating the public about the dangers at level crossings.

Railspect: Good behaviour on and around rail tracks:
In 2019 – with the support of the Belgian government, the railway police and the security service of operator NMBS/SNCB – Infrabel launched ‘Railspect’, a national action plan to tackle dangerous behaviour on and around rail tracks. Bram De Saedeleer, Head of Safety and Punctuality Communications and Campaigns for Infrabel, explains more.

ProRail: Motivated to reduce risk at level crossings:

Anne Zwiers was appointed as Director of Level Crossings at ProRail in the summer of 2019; a new position aimed at infusing speed and focus into ProRail’s level crossing policy and working method. In an interview for Global Railway Review, Anne reveals the measures ProRail are taking to reduce the number of level crossings in the Netherlands and the efforts to improve safety at the sites where level crossings cannot be eliminated.

Safety at level crossings: Evaluate, engage and enforce:

Isabelle Fonverne, Senior Advisor for Safety at the International Union of Railways (UIC), writes that, to better address risks at level crossings, soft or harder measures must be taken not only by the railways, but also by the road sector and relevant authorities.