Level Crossing (Lissue) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010

Article 3(c

SCHEDULE 2 CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS TO BE COMPLIED WITH BY THE RAILWAY UNDERTAKING

1.  The carriageway shall be approximately 6.7 metres wide at the crossing and the footway not less than 1.5 metres wide on the eastern side of the carriageway over the crossing.

2.  The ground shall be made-up to the level of the carriageway for a distance of not less than 1 metre beyond the western edge of the carriageway over the crossing.

3.  The surface of the carriageway over the crossing shall be maintained in good and even condition.

4.  The barriers shall be kept in the fully raised position except during the time when engines, carriages or other vehicles passing along the railway have occasion to cross the road.

5.  The electric lamps or equivalent (light emitting diodes) on each barrier mentioned in Schedule 1 shall be lit at all times except when the barriers are in the fully raised position.

6.  If the road approaches to the crossing are lit the crossing shall be lit to at least the same standard.

7.  Visual indicators and an audible alarm shall be provided in the monitoring signal box. The indicators shall show when the barriers are raised and when the main power supply is available, and the alarm shall sound if the main power supply fails if a period of approximately 3 minutes elapses and there is no indication that the barriers are raised.

8.  The barriers, the audible warning devices and the traffic light signals mentioned in Schedule 1 shall be activated automatically, as described in paragraph 9, by the approach of a train but means shall also be provided at the crossing for their manual operation and control.

9.  When the train either occupies a track circuit or operates a treadle the audible warning devices and the traffic light signals shall begin to operate and the barriers shall be lowered in accordance with the following sequence—

(a) the amber lights shall show and the audible warning shall begin. The lights shall show for approximately 3 seconds;

(b) immediately the amber lights are extinguished the intermittent red lights shall begin to show;

(c) 4 to 6 seconds later, the barriers shall begin to descend and shall take a further 6 to 10 seconds to reach the lowered position;

(d) not less than 27 seconds shall elapse between the time when the amber lights first show and the time when the train reaches the crossing;

(e) both barriers shall begin to rise simultaneously as soon as possible after the train has passed the crossing and shall take 4-10 seconds to reach the raised position. The intermittent red lights shall continue to show and the audible warning device shall continue to sound until the barriers have risen to an angle of 45 degrees above the horizontal.

10.  Should the barriers and other protective equipment at the crossing be activated by another train so that less than 10 seconds, reckoned from the time the barriers begin to rise, can elapse before the sequence to close the crossing is due to begin again the barriers shall remain lowered and the intermittent red lights and the audible warning devices shall continue to operate. As soon as one train reaches the crossing the warbling rate of the audible warning devices shall be increased. As soon as all trains which have activated the equipment at the crossing under the conditions of this paragraph have passed clear of the crossing the barriers shall rise and the intermittent red lights and the audible warning devices shall operate as detailed in paragraph 9(e). The barriers shall take 4 to 10 seconds to reach the raised position.

11.  In the event of the failure of both intermittent red lights in any of the road traffic signals, when the intermittent red lights should be shown, both barriers shall descend immediately (if not already lowered) and shall remain lowered.

12.  Should a total power failure occur both barriers shall descend under gravity or remain lowered as the case may be. If after the barriers have begun to lower one barrier fails to reach the fully lowered position, neither barrier shall rise until both have been fully lowered.

13.  If either barrier fails to rise from the lowered position the intermittent red lights shall continue to show provided a total power failure has not occurred.