New Zealand has 1,320 public road level crossings and 122 stand-alone public pedestrian crossings. Each year on average three people die and six people suffer a serious injury at railway level crossings across New Zealand, with a reported near miss occurring every three days.
Representatives from KiwiRail, NZ Transport Agency and rail safety trust TrackSAFE NZ have begun working on a refreshed approach to the management of level crossings emphasising greater collaboration from both safety and transport network efficiency perspectives.
“As both elements affect each other, it is really important that we consider both safety and efficiency when we look to prioritise investment in our level crossings - particularly as demand on both rail and road increases across the transport network,” says Chuck Dowdell, who is leading the Transport Agency’s work on level crossings.
The first step in the process has been to map the level crossings across the country and compare data such as traffic volumes and accident or near-miss occurrences, in order to identify which crossings are a priority.
We will also add the crossings to the Transport Agency’s HPMV and 50MAX maps to identify where level crossings have the greatest impact on freight efficiency.
Making level crossings safer and more efficient is an issue particularly in larger urban areas, with the increasing frequency of commuter trains meaning that some level crossings are causing greater disruption to road traffic and pedestrian movement during peak travelling times.
Groups with an interest in level crossing safety and efficiency such as the Police, Road Controlling Authorities and road user groups such as the AA will also be involved in the project. If you want to find out more about this work, contact Janette Williams.