Olwyn Enright
Question:73 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Transport the number of railway level crossing incidents in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18315/02]
Other Questions. - Rail Accidents.
Paul McGrath
Question:89 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Transport the plans he has to upgrade level crossings on the rail network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18314/02]
I propose to answer Questions No. 73 and 89 together.
I am advised by Iarnród Éireann that a total of 151 incidents have occurred over the period from January 1998 to date in locations where the railway crosses a public road. This information relates to railway crossings of public roads. There are also many private crossings on the railway network.
Of these 151 incidents, 116 had no train involvement and resulted from road vehicles striking level crossing gates or equipment. A total of 21 incidents involved trains striking level crossings or equipment, 12 involved collisions between trains and road vehicles, one incident involved a road vehicle that broke down on a level crossing and one incident involved a person being struck by a train.
The risks posed at level crossings for rail and road users are well recognised by Iarnród Éireann and my Department. As part of the railway safety programme, 1999 to 2003, approved by Government in March 1999, a major upgrading programme of level crossings is being undertaken by Iarnród Éireann which is funded mainly by the Exchequer. To date, over €50 million has been invested in upgrading or closing level crossings. Some 240 of the level crossings identified for upgrading or closure under the railway safety programme have already been closed or upgraded.
This major upgrading programme will continue until the end of the current railway safety programme. I intend shortly to seek the approval of the Government to re-convene the railway safety task force to make recommendations for a new five-year programme commencing in 2004. I have no doubt that the continuing upgrading of level crossings will form part of that programme.
In addition, a Railway Safety Bill is currently before this House and will have its Second Stage reading tomorrow. This Bill will require all railway undertakings, including Iarnród Éireann, to implement a formal safety management system and to describe that system in a document called a "safety case". The Bill will require a railway undertaking to identify in its safety case all issues impacting on the safety of its operations. Such issues would include its management of safety at level crossings. The railway safety commission, to be established under the Bill, will need to be satisfied that such management is adequate to ensure the safety of rail passengers and staff and of all users of level crossings. The Bill will place a duty on any person on or near railway land to ensure that he or she does not pose a danger to others.
I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. Is he aware that in the past five years at least four people have been killed and one person seriously injured at railway crossings, most of which were unmanned? Why have no investigations by the railway safety inspector taken place into any of those incidents, bar the one in Kiltoom, County Roscommon? In light of the fact that Irish Rail, as far back as 1997, following the death of a young woman in County Roscommon, investigated upgrading unmanned level crossings, of which there are 200, why have those level crossings not been upgraded? Even the crossing at which that particular incident occurred has not been upgraded.
Earlier this year Sr. Joan Bowles was killed in County Limerick. That was the second serious incident at that level crossing and nothing has been done about it.
I share the Deputy's concern about this issue. We must do a great deal more in this area. Of the 151 incidents to which I referred, my note states that two – the Deputy mentioned four – resulted in fatalities. A young man was killed on 5 June 2001 when he was struck by a train at Sullivan's Cross near Galway. Then there was the very sad case of Sr. Bowles, where her car was struck at Woodfarm, County Limerick, in July 2002.
In total, there are about 2,000 level crossings. A 1998 study by consultants stated that 602 of them pose an intolerable risk. Of those 602 crossings, 240 are now closed. I have told my Department and Iarnród Éireann to proceed quickly with getting rid of the rest of them. The first line of attack must be those 602 crossings, 360 or so of which are left to do. We need to finish those.
I do not think the Deputy is correct in saying that no investigations were taking place in these cases. A few strategic level crossings have led to multiple incidents. The level crossings at Merrion Gates in Dublin, at Woodfarm, where, unfortunately, the accident with Sr. Bowles occurred, at Slaney Bridge and at Kiltoom, with which the Deputy is familiar, are examples of where there have been multiple incidents and, to the best of my knowledge, they have been fully investigated. I certainly would be concerned were that not the case, but I will double check it. I am telling the Deputy that they have been investigated.
To throw some light on the issue, the Minister's response to a parliamentary question on Wednesday, 9 October, stated that no formal investigations have been taken—
The Deputy cannot quote—
I am not quoting.
The Deputy was reading.
The reply stated that no formal investigations have taken place by the railway inspector's office over the past five years, except for the incident at Kiltoom. Does the Minister agree that it is unacceptable that there have been 151 incidents in the past five years and that only one formal investigation is taking place in that regard?
Regarding the unmanned level crossings on which no work has been done to date by Irish Rail, one recommendation which was made at the inquest into the death of Sr. Bowles was that warning beacons should be provided at these level crossings to warn drivers approaching them that a train was about to arrive. At least that would make people conscious of approaching trains because in the incident at Dunamon, County Roscommon, the level crossing was on a double bend and was not in view. Similar incidents have occurred around the country. Will the Minister agree to put even the most basic safety measures in place at unmanned level crossings?
I will ask Iarnród Éireann to expedite its work in this area and I will examine the Deputy's point about the formal investigation. Obviously if that was my reply to the Deputy, that was the information available to me. The distinction between a "formal investigation" and an "investigation" might be a moot point. I will have to come back to the Deputy on that.
Of the 151 incidents, two resulted in deaths. That is two too many and I want to make sure that there are no more. As the Deputy will be aware, a significant amount of money has been put into railway safety in recent years. With the new continuous welded track being installed around the country, up to half the track is now of that standard.
These level crossings are a cause of major concern to me, however, and the new railway safety commission, which is coming into operation, will play a major role. A new railway safety commission, in the full light of day, will not be able to stand over these railway crossings and will have to step on them.
On a number of occasions in the past five years, in the Kiltoom incident and in a number of other incidents on the Athlone to Wesport line, an engine has gone through closed level-crossing gates. Part of the difficulty is that the distance between the signal and the gates has not been revised in more than a century although the speed of trains and their braking distances have increased significantly in that time. Does the Minister believe this is acceptable?
The speed of some trains has increased, where continuous welded track has been laid, as has happened in Cork and Galway.
The speed of some has decreased.
Deputy Ryan is correct. The speed of some trains has been reduced to ten miles per hour where the track has not been upgraded to continuous welded track. In some places there is continuous welded track with modern infrastructure but almost half the stock is still in desperate need of investment. I am trying to improve that.
I accept the Minister's point. However, where there is continuous welded track and speeds of between 75 and 100 miles per hour are possible, does the Minister find it acceptable that we are still working with signals which were set 100 years ago? Should Irish Rail address this matter?
It is not acceptable if that is happening. I do not know the distances at which signals are set but it is my understanding that when the continuous welded track was laid the signalling was upgraded on those lines. The Deputy is obviously referring to a particular location.
I am referring to many points on the Dublin to Westport line.
I will raise the matter with Iarnród Éireann.