In 2020, recommendations from the Dutch Safety Board to reduce the risk of a railway accident will be further addressed. The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) concludes that improvements are possible in 3 areas: cooperation within the chemical sector, passing level crossings with special vehicles and instructions for crossing level crossings in exceptional situations. At the same time, progress has again been made by various (rail) companies, sector organisations, municipalities and ProRail. The Inspectorate reports annually on developments aimed at reducing railway accidents.
“We see that the chemical companies and sector organizations work closely together and take the measures that are within their capabilities after risk analyses. But they cannot do this alone. Railway undertakings, ProRail and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management must also properly fulfill their chain responsibility. Then the safe transport of hazardous substances can improve even further. In addition, ProRail's information about crossing level crossings by special vehicles and consultation about this with municipalities will continue to be necessary in the future."
Consider passing
Last year, various trade associations for transport, logistics and farmers discussed the risks and practical solutions when crossing level crossings with infrastructure manager ProRail. Rail accidents at Hooghalen in May 2020 and this year at Wijster and Bozum once again make it clear that passing level crossings can be risky. ProRail is therefore issuing an instruction that industry parties can use to provide information for each target group about crossing level crossings or working on and around the railway infrastructure. The Inspectorate believes that all parties should inform their members about this again in 2021.
Special crossings
With its procedure, ProRail facilitates 'special crossing' situations, such as large transports, where crossing a level crossing can present a danger. The ILT expects ProRail to continue to provide information about these special crossings in collaboration with sector organisations.
Safe transport of dangerous goods
Chemical companies and trade associations made agreements about the transport and loading of hazardous substances. From 2021, for example, all their freight wagons for the transport of dangerous goods will have additional safety measures to prevent tank wagons from puncturing as a result of a collision (crash buffers and/or headshields). In the course of 2021, more and more freight cars will also be fitted with a GPS tracker. This provides the carrier with route information, the speed and the amount of load. All this information contributes to further increasing safety when transporting dangerous goods. Chemical companies are critical of the quality of the freight wagons they use to transport hazardous substances, but which they do not own. The trade associations argue for the faster decommissioning of older freight wagons. The chemical companies are faced with risks that they cannot resolve themselves, but which railway undertakings and ProRail must take the initiative for.
Research Council recommendations
The Dutch Safety Board investigated a rear-end collision of a passenger train against a stationary freight train with hazardous substances near Tilburg (2015). The collision causes a leak in the rear carriage of the freight train, which is filled with hazardous substances. 8 people are injured. In a collision with an aerial platform on a level crossing near Dalfsen (2016), the train derails and comes to a stop on its side. The train driver dies and 6 passengers are injured. Investigations into these accidents have resulted in a number of concrete recommendations for improving railway safety.
Role ILT
De ILT has the statutory duty to monitor and report on progress in addressing the Safety Board's recommendations. With this annual report, the Inspectorate once again concludes monitoring a few recommendations. For example, the Inspectorate will stop following consultations with road authorities by ProRail, because there is now sufficient coordination on this, according to ILT.