Operation and safety of tramways in interaction with public space Analysis and Outcomes Detailed Report COST is supported by the EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020 TU1103 Action final report September 2015 Operation and safety of tramways in interaction with public space Analysis and Outcomes Detailed Report Colophon Authors : COST TU1103 Chair : Laetitia FONTAINE - Service Technique des Remontées Mécaniques et des Transports Guidés (STRMTG – France). All participants of this COST Action have contributed to the report (see complete list at www.tram-urban-safety.eu and on chapter 7 of this report). Reviewers : Laetitia FONTAINE, Dominique BERTRAND, Carlos GAIVOTO, Giuseppe INTURRI, Marine MILLOT, Reddy MORLEY, Margarita NOVALES, Reinhold SCHROETER, Matus SUCHA, Manuel TEIXEIRA, David WALMSLEY, Johannes YEZBEK, Tony YOUNG. Version : Final Date : September, 2015 Contact : E-mail : [email protected] Website : www.tram-urban-safety.eu COST is supported by the EU Framework Programme TU1103 Action final report Horizon 2020 September 2015 COST Foreword This publication is supported by COST. COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a pan-European intergo- vernmental framework. Its mission is to enable break-through scientific and techno- logical developments leading to new concepts and products and thereby contribute to strengthening Europe’s research and innovation capacities. It is the oldest and widest European intergovernmental network for cooperation in research. Established by the Ministerial Conference in November 1971, COST allows researchers, engineers and scho- lars to jointly develop their own ideas and take new initiatives across all fields of science and technology, while promoting multi- and interdisciplinary approaches. 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As precursor of advanced multidisciplinary research COST has a very important role for the realisation of the European Research Area (ERA) anticipating and complementing the activities of the Framework Programmes, constituting a « bridge » towards the scientific communities of emerging countries, in- creasing the mobility of researchers across Europe and fostering the establishment of « Networks of Excellence » in many key scientific domains such as : Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences ; Food and Agriculture ; Forests, their Products and Services ; Ma- terials, Physical and Nanosciences ; Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technologies ; Earth System Science and Environmental Management ; Information and Communica- tion Technologies ; Transport and Urban Development ; Individuals, Societies, Cultures and Health. It covers basic and more applied research and also addresses issues of pre-normative nature or of societal importance. For further information, http://www.cost.eu. COST is supported by the EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020. The Legal notice by COST Association : Neither the COST Association nor any person acting on its behalf is responsible for the use that might be made of the information contained in this publication. The COST Asso- ciation is not responsible for the external websites referred to in this publication. Operation and safety of tramways in interaction with public space - TU1103 page 2/211 Chair’s foreword on TU1103 Action – Operation and safety of tramways in interaction with public space Tramway and Light Rail Transit systems were reduced in the 1950s, but since 1990 they have been reintroduced or extended in many cities all over Europe. And therefore, the multiplication of lines has multiplied their interaction with other public space users. However in spite of this great spread, and even though accidents involving tramways usually have a big impact on the public’s emotions, the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) has demonstrated1 that statistics indisputably show that the tram is safer than private cars. A large proportion of accidents with trams are caused by third parties ignoring or overlooking rules and recommendations. Tramway/LRT urban insertion is the key interaction with third parties. Bad or non-adapted layouts can be reasons for bad understanding or disrespect. Common problems are encountered all over Europe and all tram networks are facing difficulties, having bad or good experiences, trying successful solutions, and all looking for improving more and more their safety level. Their experience could be useful for others, in order to get best practices and adapt them to their local context, thanks to access to the knowledge and experience. It is a pioneering work: it brings together for the first time in a study of this scale experts from across Europe and from across the spectrum of tramway involvement: operators, designers, researchers and national authorities, to share their experience on tram safety issues. The sharing of information, feedback, and experience is one of the best ways to improve tram safety in urban spaces. Urban insertion of tramways and LRTs is not an exact science but the sharing of ideas and practical solutions is a good way to give the best clues to a tram network to find the best layouts for one dangerous interaction place or a new insertion. This is what the TU1103 group has achieved here: to share with you our experiences. This is the aim of this final document: not guidance as such, but the sharing of suggestions, good experiences and best practices which TU1103 members can give to the profession on safe tram urban insertion. Laetitia FONTAINE, Chair of the COST Action TU1103 Service Technique des Remontées Mécaniques et des Transports Guidés (STRMTG – France) 1 UITP 2009 Core Brief “Light Rail Transit – a safe mean of transport” UITP information sheet Operation and safety of tramways in interaction with public space – TU1103 page 3/211 Availability of deliverables of the Action This Report is the deliverable for final Working Phases 2 and 3 of the TU1103 Action. It is a Public Report, and is available on the public part of the Action’s website www.tram-urban-safety.eu. The Report includes summaries of working group outcomes and general outcomes of the Action. The Memorandum of Understanding of the Action presents our methodology, aims and deliverables: all details in Appendix A. The report of Working Phase 1 is available at: http://www.tram-urban-safety.eu/spip.php?article329 and in Appendix B. Detailed information about each topic and the entities involved in the Action will be covered in the Working Group reports (for each Working Phase). These will be restricted to the members` part of the Action website, but specified parts of this detailed information can be made available on demand, which will be expressed by request to the Action webmaster Mr. Dominique BERTRAND ([email protected]). Operation and safety of tramways in interaction with public space – TU1103 page 4/211 Executive Summary The insertion of tramways and Light Rail Transit into an urban area so that they can operate safely and efficiently while interacting with other public space users is one the most important challenges to the planning principles on urban rail infrastructure design. To find the best adapted and safest infrastructure design for optimising interactions between tramways and other users of urban space, is for public transport operators and authorities one of the means to improve the level of service, and thus help to grow the modal shift in favour of Public Transport. Dealing with this issue, this Action enhances this strategy by examining how operators and city authorities can collect, process and analyse accident data and assess safety management improvements, and it gives the opportunity to hold a debate about some main safety experiences in several European countries and cities. Rather than providing conclusive guidance, the report of COST Action TU1103 seeks to share suggestions, successful experiences and good practices, which can contribute to enhancing a safer insertion of trams into urban areas. While the tram is generally a safe mode of transport, all tram networks are facing the task of maintaining and improving safety, and similar issues are encountered all over Europe. Then, there are both good and sometimes bad experiences, successful stories, appropriate solutions and efficient practices. Various countries’ feedback and knowledge could be useful for others, if sharing