Recommendation: 2016-002

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Ref # 2016-002
Status Open / In progress
Occurrence Investigation into SPADs on the IÉ network from January 2012 to July 2015
Occurrence Date 01 August 2015

Basis for Recommendation

The RAIU have identified two Signal Passed At Danger (SPAD) incidents on the DART network, namely the SPADs at Signals CY33, Connolly, on the 11th September 2014 and SPAD at Signal DN201, Howth, 21st April 2015, whereby the drivers of the trains maintained the engagement of the running release on the approach to signals displaying red aspects, thus effectively ‘overriding’ the train protection function of the Automatic Train Protection. As a result the RAIU make the following safety recommendation:

Recommendation

Iarnród Éireann (Infrastructure Manager) should review the functionality of the Automatic Train Protection’s running release to ensure that the train protection function in relation to passing a signal at danger is appropriately maintained where drivers are approaching signals displaying red aspects. If this is not feasible with the current equipment it should be included any new train protection system introduced on the network.