The Level Crossing (Coleraine (Bushmills Road)) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2016 No. 404

Road And Rail Transport

The Level Crossing (Coleraine (Bushmills Road)) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016

Made

17th November 2016

Coming into operation-

15th December 2016

The railway undertaking made an application to the Department for Infrastructure (1) in accordance with section 66(4) of the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967(2);

Before making the application the railway undertaking gave notice in accordance with section 66(5) and (6) of that Act to the council in whose district the crossing is situated;

The Department for Infrastructure makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 66(1) and (2) of the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 and now vested in it(3).

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Level Crossing (Coleraine (Bushmills Road)) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 and shall come into operation on 15th December 2016.

(2) In this Order ‘the crossing’ means the Coleraine (Bushmills Road) Level Crossing in the town of Coleraine and the county of Londonderry whereby the road known as Bushmills Road is crossed by the railway between Coleraine and Castlerock Stations.

Suspension of statutory provisions

2.—(1) While this Order remains in force —

(a) section 47 of the Railways Clauses Consolidation Act 1845(4) (requirements as to gates);

(b) section 6 of the Railways Clauses Act 1863(5) (requirements as to lodges, etc); and

(c) any other statutory provision imposing requirements to the same or similar effect as those contained in the enactments mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b),

shall not apply in relation to the crossing.

Provision of equipment

3.  The railway undertaking shall at the crossing—

(a) provide, maintain and operate the barriers, lights, automatic and other devices, excluding traffic signs specified in Schedule 1, and shall give notice in writing to the Department for Infrastructure as soon as the provision thereof is complete;

(b) secure the provision, maintenance and operation by that Department of the traffic signs specified in Schedule 1; and

(c) comply with the conditions and requirements specified in Schedule 2.

Revocation

4.  The Northern Ireland Railways (Coleraine (Bushmills Road) Level Crossing) Order (Northern Ireland) 1990(6) is hereby revoked.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Infrastructure on 17th November 2016

Tom Reid

A senior officer of the Department for Infrastructure

Article 3(a) and (b)

SCHEDULE 1 PARTICULARS OF THE BARRIERS, LIGHTS, TRAFFIC SIGNS AND OTHER DEVICES

1.  Cattle-cum-trespass guards of standard railway design shall be provided adjacent to the ground, which is made-up to the level of the carriageway. The guards shall extend the full distance between the fence on each side of the railway.

2.  A barrier shall be pivoted as close to the railway as practicable on both sides of the road on each approach to the crossing. An additional barrier shall be pivoted as close to the railway as practicable on the left hand side of the road on the Ballycastle Road slip road.

3.  It shall be possible to raise and lower the barriers. When lowered, the barriers shall be as nearly horizontal as possible and shall extend across the full width of the carriageway and the footway.

4.  When the barriers are fully lowered, their uppermost surfaces shall be not less than 900mm above the road surface at the centre of the carriageway and the under-clearance between the barriers and the road surface shall not exceed 1 metre.

5.  When in the fully raised position, the barriers shall be inclined towards the carriageway at an angle of between 5 and 10 degrees from the vertical. No part of either barrier or of any attachment thereto which is less than 5 metres above the level of the carriageway shall be horizontally displaced from the nearer edge of the carriageway by less than 450mm. No part of any barrier or any attachment thereto which in either case is less than 2 metres above the level of the footway shall be horizontally displaced from that edge of the footway further from the carriageway by less than 150mm.

6.  The barriers shall be as light as possible but shall also be strong enough to prevent distortion or fracture likely to be caused by wind pressure. It shall be possible to raise them by hand. The barriers shall be at least 125mm deep at their mid-point and at least 75mm deep at their tip.

7.  The barriers shall be fitted with skirts so arranged that when the barriers are lowered the skirts fence in the space between the barrier and the ground.

8.  Three electric lamps, or equivalent (light emitting diodes) each of not less than 5 watts nominal rating or equivalent and with lenses of not less than 50mm diameter, shall be fitted to each barrier, one within 150mm of its tip and the other 2 equally spaced. When illuminated, the lamps shall show a red light in each direction along the carriageway.

9.  The barriers shall display on both front and rear faces alternate red and white bands each approximately 600mm long and to the full depth of the barriers. A band of red retro-reflecting material not less than 50mm deep shall be provided along the full length of each red band.

10.  Suitable screening shall be provided for each barrier machine to guard against danger to persons from the operating mechanisms and moving parts of the machine.

11.  A traffic light signal of the size, colour and type shown in Diagram 3014 of the Regulations shall be provided on the left hand side of the road on each approach to the crossing and additionally on the slip road. These shall be as close as practicable to the barrier. There shall be an additional traffic light signal of the same type on the right hand side of the road on each approach to the crossing and additionally on the slip road so located as to be either in line with or on the railway side of the stop line mentioned in paragraph 13. The traffic light signals on each side of the railway shall be positioned so as to face outwards from the crossing towards approaching road traffic. All the signals shall be capable of directional adjustment.

12.  An audible warning device shall be provided on or adjacent to each traffic light signal post. Facilities shall be provided to reduce the sound output of these devices and any reduced sound output shall operate to suit local day and night conditions.

13.  A reflectorised stop line of the size and type shown in Diagram 1001 in the Regulations shall be provided across the left hand side of the carriageway on each approach to the crossing approximately 1 metre before the left hand side traffic light signal.

14.  Where Bushmills Road passes over the crossing, reflectorised edge of carriageway road markings of the size and type shown in Diagram 1012.1 in the Regulations shall be provided along each edge of each footway.

15.  The centre line of the carriageway shall be marked on the crossing between the stop lines mentioned in paragraph 13 with a reflectorised double continuous line road marking of the size and type shown in diagram 1013.1A in the Regulations. This shall be continued for not less than 12 metres on the south side of the railway.

16.  A traffic sign of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 770 in the Regulations shall be provided on the left-hand side of each road approach to the crossing facing traffic approaching the crossing. Below this a traffic sign of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 773 in the Regulations shall be provided facing traffic approaching the crossing.

An additional traffic sign of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 770 in the Regulations shall be provided on the central traffic island in Bushmills Road on the approach to the crossing facing traffic approaching the crossing. Below this a traffic sign of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 773 in the Regulations shall be provided facing traffic approaching the crossing.

An additional traffic sign of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 770 in the Regulations shall be provided on the left-hand side of the approach to the crossing, facing traffic approaching the crossing for traffic turning left onto Bushmills Road from James Street.

An additional traffic sign of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 770 in the Regulations shall be provided on the slip road facing traffic leaving the entrance leading from James Street and approaching the crossing. Below this a traffic sign of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 773 in the Regulations shall be provided facing traffic approaching the crossing.

An additional traffic sign of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 770 in the Regulations shall be provided at the exit from the Ulsterbus depot and car park on to Ballycastle Road, facing traffic approaching the crossing. Below this a traffic sign of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 773 in the Regulations shall be provided facing traffic approaching the crossing.

An additional traffic sign of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 770 in the Regulations shall be provided on the traffic island between Union Road and Railway Place facing traffic turning right to approach the crossing. Below this a traffic sign of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 773 in the Regulations shall be provided facing traffic approaching the crossing.

17.  There shall be a signalling control centre at Coleraine. A closed circuit television camera shall be provided at the crossing and shall be connected to a viewing monitor adjacent to the crossing control point in the control centre.

18.  The control point shall have push-buttons to:

(a) lower the barriers – the ‘lower’ push-button;

(b) raise the barriers – the ‘raise’ push-button;

(c) release the protecting signals – the ‘crossing clear’ push-button;

(d) stop the lowering or raising of the barriers – the ‘stop’ push-button.

19.  Facilities shall be provided at the crossing to operate the barriers and other protective equipment.

20.  The crossing shall be illuminated during the hours of darkness to such a standard that the operation can ascertain in conditions of normal visibility that the crossing is clear before the barriers are fully lowered, and until the ‘crossing clear’ push-button is pressed.

21.  Protecting railway signals shall be provided and these shall be interlocked with the barriers so that it shall not be possible, other than by hand, to raise the barriers from their positions across the carriageway unless the protecting railway signals are set at Danger and whilst the barriers are raised it shall not be possible to clear those signals.

22.  In this Schedule –

‘the Regulations’ means the Traffic Signs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997(7).

‘slip road’ means the slip road linking Ballycastle Road and Bushmills Road which is provided to enable road traffic to turn left from Ballycastle Road, over the level crossing towards the town centre of Coleraine.

Article 3(c)

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

1.  The carriageway shall be approximately 9 metres wide at the crossing.

2.  The ground at the two edges of the carriageway over the crossing shall be made-up to the level of the carriageway for a distance of approximately 2.5 metres beyond each edge.

3.  The surface of the carriageway and footways 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 that standard.

7.  The protecting signals shall be controlled from the signalling control centre containing the crossing control point.

8.  The picture of the crossing shall be exhibited on the television monitor before the sequence of events to close the crossing to road traffic begins. The picture shall continue to be exhibited until either the barriers are fully raised after the ‘raise’ push-button is pressed, or if automatic raising is in operation after the ‘crossing clear’ push-button is pressed.

9.  Visual indicators and an audible alarm shall be provided at the control point. The indicators shall show when:

(a) the main power supply is available;

(b) all the barriers are fully raised;

(c) all the barriers are fully lowered;

(d) at least one of the intermittent red lights of the traffic light signals on each side of the railway is showing along the carriageway.

10.  The audible alarm shall sound if:

(a) any barrier is horizontally dislocated when in the fully-lowered position;

(b) the main power supply fails;

(c) all the red traffic light signals facing in one direction fail.

11.  When the ‘lower’ push button is pressed the sequence of events to close the crossing to road traffic shall begin. The sequence shall be:

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

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

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

(d) the right-hand side barriers shall then begin to descend taking 6 to 10 seconds to reach the lowered position;

(e) the audible warning shall stop when all the barriers are fully lowered.

12.  The arrangements shall be such that the protecting railway signals can only be cleared after the barriers are fully lowered and after the ‘crossing clear’ push-button has been pressed. Unless the protecting signals have been cleared for another train, all the barriers shall rise simultaneously either after the ‘raise’ push-button has been pressed or automatically as soon as the train has passed clear of the crossing.

13.  If a train overruns a protecting signal the arrangements shall be such that the red lights will immediately show omitting the amber sequence, the audible warning will sound and all barriers remain in the raised position.

14.  The intermittent red lights shall continue to show until the barriers have begun to rise and shall be extinguished before the barriers have risen to an angle of 45 degrees above the horizontal.

15.  If any barrier fails to rise from the lowered position, the intermittent red lights shall continue to show.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order provides for the provision and maintenance of manually controlled barriers supervised by closed circuit television at Coleraine (Bushmills Road) Level Crossing. Section 47 of the Railways Clauses Consolidation Act 1845 (which requires the railway undertaking to provide gates and gate-keepers), section 6 of the Railways Clauses Act 1863 (requirements as to lodges, etc.) and any other statutory provision imposing requirements to the same or similar effect, shall not apply to the crossing whilst this Order remains in force.

Schedule 1 sets out the particulars of barriers, lights, traffic signs and other devices, which are to be provided at the crossing. Schedule 2 states the condition and requirements with which the railway undertaking is to comply in relation to the crossing.

This Order revokes the Northern Ireland Railways (Coleraine (Bushmills Road) Level Crossing) Order (Northern Ireland) 1992.

(1)

The Department for Regional Development was renamed the Department for Infrastructure by virtue of section 1(6) of 2016 c.5. (N.I)

(2)

1967 c.37 (N.I); section 66 was substituted by S.I. 1984/1986 (N.I. 15) Art. 15 and amended by S.I. 1990/994 (N.I. 7) Sch. 2

(3)

The functions of the Ministry of Development under the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 transferred to the Department of the Environment by S.R. & O (N.I. 1973 No. 504 Art. 4, to the Department for Regional Development by S.R. 1999 No. 481 Article 6(d) and Schedule 4 Part IV and to the Department for Infrastructure by the Department Acts (Northern Ireland) 2016 Chapter 5, Article 1(6).

(4)

1845 c.20

(5)

1863 c.92

(6)

S.R. 1990 No. 11

(7)

S.R. 1997 No. 386: relevant amending Regulations are S.R. 1999 No. 484