Safety - Annual review 06/07 - About us - Translink
Safe Operations l Safety at Work l Public Safety Campaigns
The funding and approval by Government for Translink to purchase 117 additional buses fitted with seat belts for school transport provision will improve the comfort and safety of children travelling to school by bus.
Translink is committed to delivering safe bus and rail operations for passengers, staff and the general public. This section reviews some of the last year’s key safety initiatives and outlines the next steps planned.
SAFE OPERATIONS
Safety Development Programme
The Safety Development Programme commenced in 2000 and is now largely completed. It involved investment of £200 million and included the Larne line re-lay and the purchase and commissioning of 23 new C3K trains to replace the class 80 trains. 354 new buses were procured during 2005/06 and 2006/07. This has reduced the average fleet age significantly and improved safety standards for bus users. 395 new buses will be purchased during 2007/08 and 2008/09.
New Safety Management System (SMS)
The first phase of a new Safety Management System has been completed including the establishment of new high-level standards. The SMS is currently being implemented across the whole of Translink.
Safety Legislation
A programme of new safety legislation is being introduced by Government. Changes in the approach to railway safety legislation from the European Community are reflected in this programme. Included within this is a requirement for formal ‘safety certification’ of NIRailways by DRD. This process is underway and on schedule.
New seatbelt legislation that came into effect from 27 February 2007 means that all bus passengers in Northern Ireland over the age of 14 must use a seat belt if one is available: urban services are exempt. New signage on Goldline and Ulsterbus Tours coaches and at stations makes passengers aware of the new legislation.
Emergency Plan
Updated railway and bus emergency plans were issued in April 2006. These are tested annually and close liaison with the Central Emergency Planning Unit of Government continues.
Accommodation Crossings
Translink continues to improve safety at railway accommodation crossings (non public roads) through a programme of closure, detours, bridge building or other safety measures.
Train Protection Warning Systems (TPWS)
A programme to fit TPWS to the highest risk signals, at an approximate cost of £4 million, is nearing completion. This system is already installed on the new C3K trains and is being retrospectively fitted on other rolling stock.
Transport to School by Bus
The funding and approval by Government for Translink to purchase 117 additional buses fitted with seat belts for school transport provision will improve the comfort and safety of children travelling to school by bus.
The buses will be delivered during 2007/08 and eliminate standing (by April 2009) and use of the ‘3 for 2’ rule’ on schools services. In addition, 35 Goldline vehicles are being reconfigured for school services and 80 new double deck buses, all of which are being fitted with seat belts.
A major review of all schools bus services was carried out and completed, with the Bus Services division working in consultation with Education and Library Boards to plan new school service routes to meet demand.
Route Risk Assessments
These are important safety tools that involve the preparation of a detailed analysis of each service route, with the help of a team of staff, to identify hazards and work to introduce solutions.
Ulsterbus Route Risk Assessment Groups were set up for each operational district, in cooperation with the Ulsterbus Platform Committee, following successful pilots at Bangor and Coleraine.
SAFETY AT WORK
Incident and Accident Reporting
A new computerised incident reporting system covering both bus and rail divisions has been fully implemented within NIRailways and is currently being commissioned in the bus companies.
Safety clothing / driving handbook
During 2006, new high-visibility clothing was distributed to bus operations and engineering staff using bus yards, following completion of a risk assessment exercise.
A new, updated and improved driver’s handbook, ‘Safety, the Law and You’, was prepared and distributed to all Ulsterbus and Metro drivers. It includes detailed guidelines on subjects ranging from coping with aggressive behaviour to procedures for dealing with accidents and emergencies.
Safety Culture / Human Factors
Programmes to improve safety culture have been introduced and are ongoing. Progress was formally reviewed during 2006/07. Safety culture training will commence in 2007/08 along with a renewed approach to Executive Group involvement including safety tours and themed campaigns.
Following an extensive staff consultation process, the Translink Health, Safety and Environment department prepared a Translink ‘No Smoking’ policy. This was completed and in place for the introduction in April 2007 of new legislation that made all station and work premises smoke-free environments.
A specialist and confidential stress counselling service is available to all Translink staff that may need it.
Safety conferences
Translink held its 11th annual Health, Safety and Environment Conference in January 2007, focusing on the theme of leadership and safety. 102 delegates attended, representing all areas of the organisation.
International rail industry delegates at a railway safety conference in Dublin in October attended a day of conference activities in Belfast hosted by NIRailways.
Safety award for Infrastructure
The Translink Infrastructure Division earned a ‘Highly Commended Award’ for Occupational Health and Safety from the National Irish Safety Organization (NISO): these awards recognise examples of ‘best practice’ in industry.
Investors in People
During the year, further Translink divisions achieved or were re-certificated with the prestigious national Investors in People award: Human Resources, Marketing, Infrastructure, Engineering (bus and rail), Parcellink and Ulsterbus Tours.
PUBLIC SAFETY CAMPAIGNS
Safety Bus
Translink continues to bring safety education messages to schoolchildren and community groups. The special ‘Safety Bus’ and its team currently visit around 200 secondary and grammar schools each term, to educate and discuss the problems of stone throwing or unruly behaviour.
Communications regarding crossings Campaigns aimed at students, the farming community and their contractors highlighting proper use of all crossings are ongoing into 2007/08.
Rail safety message
The hard hitting ‘Dead Cert’ advertising campaign launched in August 2005 continued during 2006/07 and will also be continued this year. It reinforces the dangers of misusing trains and railway facilities, particularly as the new trains are faster and quieter.
Deterring anti social behaviour, vandalism and litter
A number of innovative initiatives were introduced or continued over the last year, each aimed at reducing incidents of anti-social behaviour on board trains and at stations: These include:
- Joint action with the police to run patrols on trains.
‘C U in Court’ poster campaign to raise awareness of the CCTV now in use on new trains. This evidence can be used in court. - An anti-graffiti campaign was piloted in Bangor in partnership with the local PSNI, the Council, town centre management and a newspaper to offer rewards for information leading to the successful prosecution of train graffiti artists.
- Translink’s environmental unit also campaigns to deter fly-tipping on the railway line and highlight the problems of litter, graffiti and trespass around the network.
Prosecutions
Translink adopts a determined stance against anti-social behaviour on buses and trains and on our properties. This is reflected in prosecution activity.
The number of individuals successfully prosecuted through the courts continues to rise, as does the level of fines awarded by the courts to offenders. These prosecutions are prominently communicated.
During the last year, for the first time there have been a number of successful prosecutions by the bus companies.
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