Recommendation: 2016-001

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Ref # 2016-001
Status Open / In progress
Occurrence Investigation into SPADs on the IÉ network from January 2012 to July 2015
Occurrence Date 01 August 2015

Basis for Recommendation

The absence of the provision of enhanced overrun protection on single lines with crossing loops is the highest risk in relation to Signal Passed At Danger (SPAD) events. The RAIU have identified seven incidents of SPADs on single lines with crossing loops between January 2012 and June 2015. One of these SPADs was the SPAD at Millstreet on the 8th December 2013, which allowed for two trains to approach the same station platform, and only coming to a stop 175 m apart on the instruction of the signalman; resulting in the high risk of a potential head-on collision of two trains. As a result, the RAIU make the following safety recommendation:

Recommendation

Iarnród Éireann (IÉ) (Infrastructure Manager) must introduce an adequate train protection systems on all of the IÉ network for the protection of trains; this system should be robust and to an acceptable standard within Europe; and have the appropriate Automatic Train Protection and speed supervision functionality.