The Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB) are to set up a new working group to thoroughly investigate the reasons why trams sometimes fail to stop at signals when they are required to.
Explaining more is Mark Ashmore, Head of Safety Assurance at the LRSSB: “The issue of SPADs (Signals Passed at Danger) was raised at a recent meeting of the sector’s Heads of Safety Group, along with the need to better understand the risk they pose. With the support of the LRSSB, the new working group will aim to develop a better understanding of SPADs, the reasons behind them, and how they are reported and investigated. They will also look at the differing levels of risk associated with the crossover between heavy and light rail environments.”
Josh Keeling, Safety Manager at South Yorkshire Tram will be chairing the working group. He commented: “We hope to build on the excellent work already undertaken within heavy rail whilst taking into consideration the different risk landscape of light rail and the unique challenges we face as a sector.”