Level Crossings between Booterstown and Lansdowne Road

[Eddie]

I was on a northbound Dart yesterday morning (13 October) that pulled into Sandymount at about 8.30am which was stopped in its tracks by yet another "Amber Gambler" road vehicle that knocked the barrier off and onto the tracks (visible from the station). Hundreds of passengers got off knowing that there was going to be at least a 30-45min minute delay, and it would be quicker to complete their journey by foot, bus or taxi.

I got a bus to Pearse and just after 9, the first Dart resumed going northbound. I'm not sure if this was originally a southbound train that just turned back (it seemed to come in from the opposite line) or my original Dart (though this would have seemed too quick).

What was quite impressive was the speed with which the barrier must have been fixed. Do the barriers just slot back in when they are knocked out by vehicles?

What was less impressive was that the northbound Dart I caught was terminating at Connolly and we were assured there was another one right behind. There wasn't. It was about another 20-25 minutes before we could continue north of Connolly, doubling the original delay. Why was it considered more important for that one driver to get back on to his schedule than minimising the further delay of the 50-100 passengers waiting at Connolly?

Are there any consequences for vehicles that break the barriers? Is there CCTV that captures them and fines them? However, even a €60 fine plus a couple of licence points seems a bit inadequate given the impact they cause hundreds of peak time passengers.

And finally, if I had been booked on a train from Heuston and this happened, should I have to pay a surcharge if, as a consequence, I missed my train and had to catch the next one?

I know there are several level crossings between Booterstown and Lansdowne Road, but these incidents seem to occur too frequently.

[Mark Gleeson]

The registration number of the driver was captured on CCTV

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2.../en/print.html

115.—A person who deliberately or wantonly causes or attempts to cause damage to any railway property is guilty of an offence.

116.—
(1) A person who causes a hazard or risk to persons by accidentally or negligently causing any structure, vehicle, or other matter or thing to come to lie on railway infrastructure, or to over-hang or protrude into the operational area above or adjacent to railway infrastructure, shall immediately notify the railway undertaking concerned or a member of the Garda SÃ*ochána.

(2) A person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €5,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, or to both.

117.—A person who deliberately or wantonly exposes another to danger on railway property is guilty of an offence

119.—A person who, without lawful authority, deliberately or maliciously—
(a) puts, places, casts or throws upon any railway property or across any railway track any wood, stone, vehicle or other matter or thing,
(b) takes up, removes or displaces any rail, sleeper, or other matter or thing belonging to a railway undertaking, or
(c) turns, moves or diverts any points, signals or other plant or machinery belonging to a railway undertaking,

120.—A person guilty of an offence under section 115 , 117 or 119 is liable—
(a) on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding €100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both,
(b) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding €5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, or to both.


So white truck guy has broken section 115, 116, 117 and 119

[James Howard]

This sort of "wanton" carelessness by truck drivers needs to be stopped by applying a severe amount of points. To be honest, fines are neither here not there unless applied at the maximum scale for this.

But collecting 10 points that will put you one offence away from being off the road might make truck drivers sit up and notice the bridge or level crossing ahead. If you consider that there are probably 10,000 people affected by a rush hour incident and value their time at 10 euro an hour, the resulting delay costs the people of Dublin 100,000 euro.

A couple of years ago, a truck hit the loop-line bridge on the north quays. After a major operation to free him, he set off on his merry way, went round Matt Talbot bridge and then hit the same bridge on the south quays.

[Jamie2k9]

Car struck LC in Co. Galway and a truck struck another on Co. Kerry today.

[Mark Gleeson]

Bad news is there is a direct relationship between the economy picking up and these incidents. The cowboys are back.

Irish Rail's move to 4 barrier CCTV monitored level crossings while expensive does save these idiots from being mowed down by a train. In central Europe half barriers closing a few seconds before a train are considered enough.

Despite it being completely legal (matter of public record) you will not see Irish Rail publish the details of convictions secured against anyone.

While the courts have been lenient, nothing beats public embarrassment

[markpb]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

While the courts have been lenient, nothing beats public embarrassment

I disagree. Nothing beats penalty points for the driver and a hefty fine for the company.

[Jamie2k9]

Like Luas crossings traffic cam's are needed at all urban crossing and those who take a chance are also fined. We only see a handful of major issues but it happens all the time.

In Cork a few weeks ago and there was an big rush to the one near Kent and two cars felt it was impotent to break the lights a 100m or so from the crossing. Granted IE don't operate the lights for if they had the chance to get though a few seconds sooner they would of tried. They didn't get past the crossing after all the work!

Easily somebody could of been killed as one car jumped them just after they went red while the next did came up and they were clearly red for 20-30 seconds at that stage. If you were crossing or visually imparted you had no chance. Far from urban speeds been done.

Cut the court case rubbish and let guards issue the fine once they view the footage form the cams.

IE should be pushing it at crossings were repeated near misses happen.

[Jamie2k9]

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/irela...ased-1.2401929

Some footage from recent high profile incidents...make off one or two are from last 2 week.