Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland
1997 No. 68

ROAD AND RAILWAY TRANSPORT
Level Crossing (Poyntzpass) Order (Northern Ireland) 1997

Made
17th February 1997

Coming into operation
24th March 1997

WHEREAS the railway undertaking made an application to the Department in accordance with section 66(4) of the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967(1);
AND WHEREAS 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;
AND WHEREAS the Department did not receive from that council any representation in respect of the said application;

NOW THEREFORE the Department of the Environment, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 66(1) and (2) of the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 and now vested in it(2) and of every other power enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Order:

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Level Crossing (Poyntzpass) Order (Northern Ireland) 1997 and shall come into operation on 24th March 1997.

(2) In this Order “the crossing” means the Poyntzpass Level Crossing in the townland of Poyntzpass and the County of Armagh whereby the road known as Railway Street is crossed by the railway between Poyntzpass and Newry Stations.

Suspension of statutory provisions

2.  While this Order remains in force—

(a)section 47 of the Railways Clauses Consolidation Act 1845(3) (requirements as to gates);

(b)section 6 of the Railways Clauses Act 1863(4) (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 automatic 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 of the Environment as soon as 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.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of the Environment on

L.S.
J. Ritchie
Assistant Secretary
17th February 1997.

Article 3(a) and (b)

SCHEDULE 1Particulars of the Barriers, Lights, Traffic Signs and other Devices

1.  The lifting barriers shall be pivoted as close to the railway as practicable on both sides of the road on each approach to the crossing.

2.  When lowered, the barrier shall be as nearly horizontal as possible and shall extend across the full width of the carriageway and the footways.

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

4.  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 any 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 450 mm, and no part of any barrier or of any attachment thereto which 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 150 mm.

5.  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.

6.  The barriers shall be fitted with skirts of a pale colour and light construction so arranged that when the barriers are lowered the skirts fence in the space between the barriers and the ground.

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

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

9.  Two electric lamps, each of not less than 5 watts nominal rating and with lenses of not less than 50 mm diameter, shall be fitted to each barrier, one within 150 mm of its tip and the other near its centre. When illuminated, the lamps shall show a red light in each direction along the carriageway.

10.  A traffic light signal as prescribed by regulation 13(4) of the Regulations shall be provided on the left hand side of the road on each approach to the crossing along the carriageway and 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 so located as to be either in line with or on the railway side of the stop line mentioned in paragraph 12. 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.

11.  An audible warning device shall be provided on or adjacent to each left hand side traffic light signal post on each approach to the crossing. Facilities shall be provided to reduce the sound output of these devices and any reduced sound output shall operate between 23.30 hours and 07.00 hours approximately.

12.  A reflectorised stop line of the size, colour 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.

13.  Where the road passes over the crossing, reflectorised edge of carriageway markings of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 1011 in the Regulations shall be provided along each edge of the footway.

14.  The centre line of the carriageway shall be marked on the crossing between the stop lines mentioned in paragraph 12 and for a distance of 12 metres on each side of the railway measured along the centre of the carriageway from the stop lines with a reflectorised double continuous line carriageway marking of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 1013.1 in the Regulations. The centre line shall be continued for a distance of 30 metres on each side of the railway measured along the centre of the carriageway from the ends of the double continuous line with a reflectorised double line of the size, colour and type also shown in diagram 1013.1 in the Regulations wherein the continuous line is on the left hand side of the broken line on each approach to the crossing.

15.  There shall be a signal box at Poyntzpass where the crossing is locally controlled and monitored. In the event of Poyntzpass signal box being closed, 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 Portadown signal box.

16.  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.

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

18.  Lighting shall be provided as necessary so that during the hours of darkness in conditions of normal visibility it can be seen from the control point that the crossing is clear whilst the barriers are being lowered and until the “crossing clear” push-button is pressed.

19.  Any lighting which is provided shall be at least to the same standard as the lighting of the carriageway.

20.  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.

21.  Cattle-cum-trespass guards of standard railway design shall be provided adjacent to the footways. The guards shall extend the full distance between the fence on each side of the railway.

22.  A traffic sign of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 537 in the Regulations shall be provided on the left hand side of the road on each approach to the crossing, and positioned so as to face outwards from the crossing towards approaching traffic.

23.  In this Schedule—

“the Regulations” means the Traffic Signs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1979(5).

Article 3(c)

SCHEDULE 2Conditions and Requirements to be Complied with by the Railway Undertaking

1.  The surface of the carriageway and footways over the crossing shall be maintained in a good and even condition. The carriageway shall be not less than 6.6 metres wide and the footway not less than 1.6 metres wide on each side of the carriageway.

2.  The barriers shall be kept in the fully raised position except during the time when any vehicle passing along the railway has occasion to cross the carriageway. The electric lamps on each barrier shall be lit except when the barriers are fully raised.

3.  The protecting signals shall be controlled from the crossing or signal box containing the crossing control point. This control point shall be located so that there is a clear view of the crossing from it.

4.  In the event of the crossing being remotely controlled a 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.

5.  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 in each of the traffic light signals on each side of the railway is showing along the carriageway.

6.  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)both the intermittent red lights of any of the road traffic signals fail.

7.  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 lights shall immediately 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 show;

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

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

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

8.  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 after the “raise” push-button has been pressed or automatically as soon as the train has passed clear of the crossing.

9.  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.

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

11.  Should automatic raising take an abnormally long time an audible and visual warning shall be given at the control point.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)
This Order provides for the provision and maintenance of a system of remotely operated manually controlled barriers in lieu of gates at Poyntzpass railway 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 conditions and requirements with which the railway undertaking must comply in relation to the crossing.


(1)
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

(2)
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

(3)
1845 c. 20

(4)
1863 c. 92

(5)
S.R. 1979 No. 386; relevant amending Regulations are S.R. 1984 No. 58