Rail breaks guidance published following peer review

Specific guidance on how to manage rail breaks and minimise the resulting disruption to services has been published by the LRSSB.

Following an extensive consultation process and peer review, it is now available to download from the growing online reference library here.

Craig O’Brien, LRSSB Engineering Manager, said that extensive research had gone into the new guidance, and the organisation has since welcomed comments from light rail owners, operators and maintainers to make sure every possible aspect was covered.

“The industry is well aware of the impact of breaks in embedded rail but now we have the means to share best practice on reducing their frequency, managing them and reducing their effect on services.

“Our research has brought together information on how to ensure safe practice and more understanding of how to reduce the number of breaks in the first place. I am confident that owners, operators and maintainers will be keen to take advantage of this new resource.”

The guidance is the product of a working group set up by the UKTram in 2019 to examine the whole issue and to produce better outcomes when breaks do occur.

Publication of the guidance provides the industry with standardised approaches to managing the effects when these breaks do occur.

“We believe that implementing this guidance will result in considerably reduced disruption to services while improving safety at the same time and offers a standardised approach to managing the situation,” said Craig. “It is an industry first which LRSSB intends to continue with the follow up of additional publications on the topic which can further contribute to the safe and reliable operation of every light rail network.”