How to check rail-vehicle crashes – CILT

CITL Nigeria President, Barrister Mfon Usoro

On the heels of last Thursday’s train disaster in Lagos, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Nigeria (CILT) has suggested a clear demarcation of responsibilities and efficient coordination between the road authority and the rail authority in managing intersections.

CILT, which commiserated with families who lost their loved ones and extended its prayers for a speedy recovery for the injured commuters, the institute’s President, Barrister Mfon Ekong Usoro pointed out that level crossings are essential safety infrastructure for the free flow of transportation where there are intersections between two or more modes of transport.

The institute said: “The road is designed, constructed, and maintained by a public authority separate from the Nigerian Railway who owns, maintains the rail tracks and operates the trains. Best practice dictates that rail specific infrastructure such as barriers, gate house, rails and level crossings with adequate signage and audio warnings be provided and maintained by the railway authority”.

It also recommended that “the party responsible for funding the safe operations of the infrastructure should be revisited. The present system of shared financial responsibility for the provision, manning and maintenance of the safety infrastructure at intersections appears cumbersome and leaves room for lack of accountability”.

CILT also suggested that “with proper dimensioning of roles, adequate funding should be provided for in the budget of the Nigerian Railway.

“There are minimum safe distances that must be observed at stops and intersections. A train requires a minimum of 320m adequate distance (safety over-run). This implies that to stop a train in motion, the driver must apply the brake about 320m to the stop point. It is an extremely difficult feat to manoeuver a successful emergency stop for a moving train with shorter safety over-run. This underscores the imperative of installing functional and well manned safety infrastructure at every infrastructure.

• Erection of barriers
• Construction of road bumps/speed retarders
• Presence of law enforcement agents at the level crossings to compliment the work of the gate keepers.
• Aggressive safety awareness campaigns targeted at commuters by the relevant agencies like the FRSC (Federal Road Safety Corps) and state traffic agencies.
• Reduce the prevalence of intersections.
• Separation of the routes for rail tracks and roads. New constructions should as far as is practicable not include intersections in designs. Flyovers or tunnels are preferred options.

CILT commended the Federal Government for the speedy set up of an investigative panel on the accident. It reiterated its call for the government to set up an independent body tasked with investigation of all transport related accidents, as recommended in the National Transport Policy.

“It is not best practice to expect the agencies directly or indirectly involved in accidents to investigate itself. The establishment of the proposed National Transport Safety Board aligns with global practice and is long overdue. We call on the Honourable Federal Minister of Transportation, most respectfully, to submit the National Transport Policy to the FEC (Federal Capital Territory) for approval”, CILT also said.