We would like to share an email received from the experts on level crossings – often referred to in South Africa as rail and train crossings:
I have read the attached article again this morning http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Buttskop-level-crossing-no-safer-20120221
Perhaps education is not enough to cope with this kind of problems, the government should make more enforcement!! As it is done in some European countries: CCTV cameras, speed cameras, cameras at LX lights, fines, points taken from the driving license.
In any case we know this here from UK or French experiences, education, better engineering, or enforcement must be done jointly to improve safety at level crossings; These measures can’t be taken separately and you cannot make education only.
Therefore I come back to you to know if you will support ILCAD 2012 again on 7 June this year?
You may use all kinds of supports on internet
- Our two videos
- The EC financed video to be used on internet worldwide http://youtu.be/tvmu7Ll22yE
- This video montage http://youtu.be/FzgJUUf-GTQ
- + a new video project we are preparing for the next campaign
- Our posters (we have 14 different with different types of persons, example attached) your logo can be added. Should you wish to add the motto “Act safely at level crossings” in Afraans or Zulu, give me the translation and we’ll make the logo for you. Then you may adapt the posters to your needs. http://www.ilcad.org/ILCAD-2011.html (in members area: you need a login and password: click on http://ovidentia.uic.org/ then register and then you will get a UIC login and password, same to use in the members area on the ILCAD website then.
- We’ll have a press release in May.
- We’ll soon organise again the second drawing contest on level crossing safety for kids. Perhaps South African kids could take part?
I stay at your entire disposal.
Kind regards
Isabelle FONVERNE
Projects Officer, Safety and Interoperability
UIC- INTERNATIONAL UNION OF RAILWAYS
Safely Home Campaign in the Western Cape
We also received a response from the Safely Home Campaign in the Western Cape:
Dear Isabelle,
The Western Cape Provincial Ministry of Transport will definitely support ILCAD with press releases, statements, media conferences – any of the things in its very limited power. I have also copied Safely Home – the WC’s road safety programme – for their input.
We can definitely get the videos and any other content onto the website as we did last year (we put an ILCAD article as the main feature on the home page if you recall). By the time ILCAD comes around we will be quite far along with our website and possibly have expanded its range of communication functions.
I wasn’t too happy with the reporting regarding David’s testimony where it pertained to level crossing safety. A huge amount of effort has been put in by the partners, and there have been only three level crossing fatalities since Buttskop. Unfortunately we currently have very limited data on recklessness at level crossings, hence the use of the boom knock-downs as the gauge of behaviour.
Our first CCTV camera at a level crossing, a joint initiative of the Ministry and Syntell, was finally approved for use in prosecutions last year. Unfortunately, incorrect road signs were put up, but this is now being addressed this coming week – we look forward to publicising our first summons issued in the next few weeks.
Kind regards,
Hector
Also view: Road Safety and Level Crossings