PACTS working parties are the opportunity to meet and share best practice and are often at the forefront of developments in transport safety. Staying in touch with members helps to inform PACTS when trying to shape government safety policy.
The first PACTS Rail Safety Working Party of 2014 met at Thales, Quadrant House. Alistair McPhee, Managing Director of Thales, Ground Transportation Systems in the UK along with his colleagues from the Thales Transportation safety and strategy teams welcomed Dr Rob Hunter, Head of Flight Safety for BALPA, to give a presentation looking at the effects of fatigue in the transport sector (as reported in the Thales in-house newsletter). Other discussions covered the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), the platform-train interface (PTI) and safety at level crossings. David Morris, the Chair of the Working Group said;
“Our group is interested in all aspects of rail safety but level crossing safety remains a major concern for everyone involved in the rail sector and we know it is also something that very many rail users worry about. The Transport Select Committee recently took evidence on level crossing safety, providing stakeholders with an opportunity to explore new and innovative ways to improve safety at known crossing ‘hot spots’ on the network. Network Rail continues to work with all its industry partners to address level crossing safety and I am sure this group will revisit level crossing safety at future meetings.”
