[Article] RPA seeks CCTV system to stop Luas accidents

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/topstories/4377487?view=Eircomnet

RPA seeks CCTV system to stop Luas accidents
From:ireland.com
Friday, 5th November, 2004

The operators of the Luas want to place closed circuit TV cameras at busy junctions in an effort to reduce the number of motorists breaking red lights.

[broken text] passengers figure

The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA), the State agency responsible for the provision of the Luas, said yesterday that seven of the 10 accidents involving the light rail system have been as a result of cars flouting traffic signals.

Mr Frank Allen, the RPA's chief executive, said while some accidents involved clipped wing mirrors or paint damage, three involved people being brought to hospital.

He said the section of the line between Heuston and Connolly Station was the cause for most concern.

"There hasn't been good compliance with red lights. There are warning signs. We tend to see people driving straight through red lights either early in the morning or late at night," Mr Allen told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport.

The RPA said it was considering placing additional warning signs and speed cameras at key junctions to help improve driver compliance with traffic lights.

Gardaí have told the RPA there are "legislative impediments" to using evidence obtained from the cameras in court, however, the agency believes they will still act as a deterrent notwithstanding this.

Overall, Mr Allen said he was pleased with the safety record of the Luas given that the service has recorded only 10 accidents while transporting an estimated 3.5 million passengers in its short life time. However, he said he would be "very worried" if the pattern of a relatively high number of accidents in recent days continued.

One accident involved two trams colliding near St Stephen's Green on September 17th.

Mr Allen said a report into the crash concluded it was the result of driver error and fresh guidelines had been issued to staff to help ensure there was no repeat of the accident. An RPA official also pointed out that there have been around 25 accidents so far this year involving collisions at level crossings for normal train services in the greater Dublin area.

Mr Allen also confirmed that the Luas has been running at a slower speed than planned on the Heuston-Connolly Station section of the line due to safety concerns.

He said, however, it was planned that the trams' frequency would increase from one every 10 minutes to one every seven-and-a-half minutes by the end of this month. It is anticipated they will run once every five minutes early in 2005.

RPA officials estimated that the Luas has been carrying almost 50,000 passengers a day, while as many as half of passengers have switched to the tram from their car. It has also recorded what is says is an encouraging compliance rate for the payment of fares. So far it has issued almost 1,000 fines, or "standard fares", of €45 for passengers without tickets.

Officials said there appeared to be greater compliance on the Tallaght line compared to the Sandyford line.


RPA seeks CCTV system to stop Luas accidents
From:ireland.com
Friday, 5th November, 2004



The operators of the Luas want to place closed circuit TV cameras at busy junctions in an effort to reduce the number of motorists breaking red lights.

passengers figure

The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA), the State agency responsible for the provision of the Luas, said yesterday that seven of the 10 accidents involving the light rail system have been as a result of cars flouting traffic signals.

Mr Frank Allen, the RPA's chief executive, said while some accidents involved clipped wing mirrors or paint damage, three involved people being brought to hospital.

He said the section of the line between Heuston and Connolly Station was the cause for most concern.

"There hasn't been good compliance with red lights. There are warning signs. We tend to see people driving straight through red lights either early in the morning or late at night," Mr Allen told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport.

The RPA said it was considering placing additional warning signs and speed cameras at key junctions to help improve driver compliance with traffic lights.

Gardaí have told the RPA there are "legislative impediments" to using evidence obtained from the cameras in court, however, the agency believes they will still act as a deterrent notwithstanding this.

Overall, Mr Allen said he was pleased with the safety record of the Luas given that the service has recorded only 10 accidents while transporting an estimated 3.5 million passengers in its short life time. However, he said he would be "very worried" if the pattern of a relatively high number of accidents in recent days continued.

One accident involved two trams colliding near St Stephen's Green on September 17th.

Mr Allen said a report into the crash concluded it was the result of driver error and fresh guidelines had been issued to staff to help ensure there was no repeat of the accident. An RPA official also pointed out that there have been around 25 accidents so far this year involving collisions at level crossings for normal train services in the greater Dublin area.

Mr Allen also confirmed that the Luas has been running at a slower speed than planned on the Heuston-Connolly Station section of the line due to safety concerns.

He said, however, it was planned that the trams' frequency would increase from one every 10 minutes to one every seven-and-a-half minutes by the end of this month. It is anticipated they will run once every five minutes early in 2005.

RPA officials estimated that the Luas has been carrying almost 50,000 passengers a day, while as many as half of passengers have switched to the tram from their car. It has also recorded what is says is an encouraging compliance rate for the payment of fares. So far it has issued almost 1,000 fines, or "standard fares", of €45 for passengers without tickets.

Officials said there appeared to be greater compliance on the Tallaght line compared to the Sandyford line.

A Dub in Glasgo

The Gardai are effectively saying that convictions for running lights will not happen with the sole evidence of CCTV therefore i have got to ask.... what is the point in spending all the extra cash in putting CCTV cameras at these junctions?

In my opinion it is a waste of money and from a traffic legislative point of view, the Gardai should be strictly enforcing current traffic laws and charging people with traffic offences. The money would be far better spent beefing up the traffic police (I am not even sure the Gardai have traffic police).

BrianD

Thought they already had cameras in place ... steel pole with a funny looking ball on top that have sprouted up at junctions ... but maybe these are the monitoring type and not the evidence gathering type.

A simple soloution would be larger signs on the approach to the tram line, new road markings.

To be honest, I think these crashes are part of the learning curves and are lesson in themselves to other motorists. It is crucial that the RPA pursue these light breakers through the courts if necessary. They may be inclined to back off for PR reasons but if they are in the right they should go for it. Otherwise we will have continued lazy compliance and if the motorist does get hit the RPA will pay up.

MrPudding

BrianD wrote:

A simple soloution would be larger signs on the approach to the tram line, new road markings.

What would you have on them? How about "Stop at the red light! Pretty please!" The problem they are trying to address is people running red lights. Should we have bigger red lights too. Perhaps we could "supersize" them at Luas junctions so people know it "really" means stop.

Come on, seriously, why do we need more signs? It gives the impression that it's OK to run red lights as long as there aren't trams involved. Please obey this red light cos there are trams here. What kind of attitede is that? If people need additional signage to tell them to stop at a red light then they deserve to find themselves under a tram. If they can't stop at red lights then they shouldn't be on the road.

MrP

Tarabuses

BrianD wrote:

To be honest, I think these crashes are part of the learning curves and are lesson in themselves to other motorists.

What learning curve?

How long have we had traffic lights in Dublin? Motorists don't seem to have learned much during that time.

Alun

Gardaí have told the RPA there are "legislative impediments" to using evidence obtained from the cameras in court, however, the agency believes they will still act as a deterrent notwithstanding this.

What are these, and why the hell can't they be removed? What about all the CCTV cameras that are springing up in town centres then ... are they just for fun?

Bee

Alun wrote:

What are these, and why the hell can't they be removed? What about all the CCTV cameras that are springing up in town centres then ... are they just for fun?

Err... Dublin City Councils useless use of traffic cameras are also monitored by the Gardai. In comparision with the thug pond life cyclists that ignore red lights the motorists are in the ha'penny place!

Bee

Traffic

It basis traffic laws when you see the amber light you prepare to stop and not accelerate and brake the red light.
The only way vehicles can hit the trams is when they proceed to cross the junction way into the red light sequence as there is a longer delay built into the sequence of lights for the tram

BrianD

Maybe overhead traffic lights and some of those LEDs built into the st like at Dame St. might impress motorists more.