§ The Minister of State, Department of Transport (Mr. John Spellar)I am pleased to announce that today the Government has published its report on the management of the accidental obstruction of the railway by road vehicles. The report has been produced in response to the 19 separate recommendations made by the Health and Safety Commission1 and Highways Agency2 reports published in February last year.
The report sets out the work of representatives of the highway authorities, railway infrastructure authorities and other organisations to identify the steps we consider should be taken jointly by railway infrastructure authorities and highway authorities to manage the risk of the accidental incursion of road vehicles onto the railway. It includes a protocol for apportioning responsibility and costs of mitigation measures. Also, following the adoption of an initial risk prioritisation framework a second stage assessment process has been produced for sites where the risk of a road vehicle accidentally getting onto the railway is not clear cut. Good practice guidance measures have been identified to help mitigate risk at specific sites. British Transport Police have agreed to collect the data about such incidents on a common basis. In order to update the standards for safety barriers on major roads in a clear and open procedure, the Highways Agency has let a contract and set up a technical project board to steer the update of standards for safety barriers on major roads in a clear and open procedure.
Copies of the report will be sent to all local highway authorities and railway infrastructure authorities. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House. Details will be made available on the Department for Transport's website at http://www.roads.dft.gov.uk/ roadnetwork/bridgesites/index.htm
1"Obstruction of the railway by road vehicles" ISBN 07176 2294 0 available from HSE books price £5.00 or to download at http://www.hse.gov.uk/railway/obstruct.pdf2"To review the standards for the provision of nearside safety fences on major roads" available to download at http://www. highways. gov.uk/