Webinars
TrackSAFE Webinar

Knowledgeshare: Railway Crossing Safety Projects (5 December 2024)

This online session shared a number of railway crossing safety projects. The content is relevant for rail stakeholders, government, researchers and members of the community.

Access RECORDING HERE

The session includes 4 x 15 min presentations & QA from each of the following speakers:

  1. Western Australian Passive Level Crossing Control Review – Evan Lutey, Level Crossing Safety & Policy Coordinator for Main Roads Western Australia & Chair National ALCAM Committee.
    Evan will outline the findings and recommendations from the review of all passively controlled level crossings on the public road network undertaken in Western Australia.  It will also demonstrate the current level crossing control arrangements now being adopted in Western Australia to increase the conspicuity of level crossings.
  2. A new technology for an ‘old’ problem: C-ITS and level crossing assistance – Erik van Vulpen, Centre for Technology Infusion La Trobe University
    This project is a feasibility study, examining the how real-time train information could inform pedestrians or road users when a train will be passing, and indicate when and how long the boom gates will be closed.
  3. Improving near hit data through GPS – Craig Dance, Director Safety Improvement, V/Line
    Craig will describe a new project at V/Line that collects near hit data.
  4. Understanding human factors issues at level crossings through behavioural assessments – Associate Professor Gemma Read, University of Sunshine Coast
    This presentation will share findings from the level crossings behavioural assessments project, funded by the Victorian Railway Crossing Safety Steering Committee. To date, the project has collected data regarding road user and pedestrian behaviour at over 15 level crossing sites. Comparison of the data across sites allows an understanding of commonalities and differences in behaviour and helps to inform safety interventions.

Meet the Speakers

Evan Lutey is the Level Crossing Safety & Policy Coordinator for Main Roads Western Australia and the current Chairperson of the National ALCAM Committee. Evan has extensive experience in the management of level crossing interfaces having worked previously for a Rail Infrastructure Manager and now in his position with Main Roads Western Australia, a Road Manager for all public roads within Western Australia. In his current role Evan’s responsibilities include the management of level crossing capital works upgrades, the strategic planning of level crossing safety improvements and the management of ALCAM assessments within Western Australia. Evan has been a member of the National ALCAM Committee for 6 years and the Chairperson for the last 2 years. Prior to entering the Road/Rail Industry Evan spent 10 years in the Shipbuilding and Oil & Gas industries undertaking design and project management activities for both defence and commercial projects.

Erik van Vulpen is at the Centre for Technology Infusion at La Trobe University. Leading large, highly visible innovation projects, focusing on accessible public transport and assistive technologies: - Developing guidelines for accessible EV charging for AustRoads and ITS Australia - Developing a guidance document for DITRDCA and APEC to help the uptake of technologies that can improve acccessible public transport - Preparing the DSAPT for the arrival of CAV for DITRDC - Developing frictionless ticketing technologies for people with disabilities for TfNSW - An overview of emerging Assistive Technologies for public transport operators (finalist IoTA Awards) - Giving control over an Automated Shuttle to People with Disability (iMOVE, HMI) Prior roles include Samsung, Heineken, Millicom and NBN Co, worked with boutique consultancies founded by McKinsey Alumni, as well as with early stage tech start-ups.

Craig Dance is Director for Safety Improvement at V/Line. He has has over 31 years Railway Operations experience including the UK, NSW and for 11 years Victoria, roles vary from frontline, franchise, senior management, control, major event co-ordination and major station management.  Have been heavily involved in Risk Management since mid 2000s and am the current chair of the RISSB SPAD (PAE) Working group.  With V/Line managing significant number of LXs especially regionally, with a keen interest in any opportunities to reduce risk and improve understanding of what is happening on the network and the LX interfaces more broadly.

Associate Professor Gemma Reed has over 16 years’ experience applying human factors and systems thinking methods in both academia and government roles. Her work spans a number of safety-critical domains including transportation, healthcare, construction and defence. Gemma is the Director of the Centre for Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

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