TRANSIT NEWSFILE NATIONAL

摘要

On 20 February Australia's Transport Ministers voted to approve a national rail reform package, which includes joint audits of level crossing safety risks by road and rail-track owners and operators.The new laws, developed by the National Transport Commission, require rail operators, rail infrastructure managers, road authorities and the owners/managers of private roads to jointly identify, assess and manage safety risks at level crossings and other road-rail interfaces. Australia has 9,400 public railway level crossings, of which 2,650 have 'active' protection such as barriers. Additionally, there are numerous private industry railway level crossings. States and Territories are expected to implement the amended laws by mid-2008, the revised target date for commencement of national rail safety laws. A three year transitional period (after commencement of the legislation) will apply, with priority on high risk/high incidence level crossings. Ministers also approved six national rail safety guidelines to support the implementation of the model Rail Safety Bill 2006 and model Rail Safety Regulations 2006. Other agreements include a national policy for the development of new national guidelines and compliance codes.