Level crossing strategy

It would be appropriate to combine the previously issued recommendation S235 The Finnish Rail Administration should systematically locate crossings that have a bridge nearby or whose traffic can otherwise be directed through a safer route, removing them even though their volume and risk level might be low. into a larger structure. The Rail Administration published the current level crossing strategy in 2007. Level crossings have been removed and secured in accordance with the strategy's principles, as permitted by the available resources. Removals of level crossings have primarily been performed to enable the application of greater speeds to the section of line. In the follow-up of the Government's decision-in principle and in the Government's transport policy report to Parliament, the measures taken are considered insufficient. Practice has shown that the rate of removal and securing level crossings is governed by allocations granted by the Parliament. The level crossing strategy should be accorded greater importance by moving it under the Ministry of Transport and Communications, which might ease acquisition of the required resources.

A new strategy should be drawn up to improve level crossing safety, and a concrete plan with funding arrangements should be drafted based on this strategy.

The strategy should include Trafi's order to repair the TEN network level crossings and the possibility to use technically simpler and cheaper warning devices made available by advances in technology.

It would be appropriate to combine the previously issued recommendation S235 The Finnish Rail Administration should systematically locate crossings that have a bridge nearby or whose traffic can otherwise be directed through a safer route, removing them even though their volume and risk level might be low. into a larger structure. The Rail Administration published the current level crossing strategy in 2007. Level crossings have been removed and secured in accordance with the strategy's principles, as permitted by the available resources. Removals of level crossings have primarily been performed to enable the application of greater speeds to the section of line. In the follow-up of the Government's decision-in principle and in the Government's transport policy report to Parliament, the measures taken are considered insufficient. Practice has shown that the rate of removal and securing level crossings is governed by allocations granted by the Parliament. The level crossing strategy should be accorded greater importance by moving it under the Ministry of Transport and Communications, which might ease acquisition of the required resources.