S.I. No. 250/1995:

IARNRÓD ÉIREANN (Limerick/Castleconnell) (LISNAGRY STATION LEVEL CROSSING) ORDER, 1995.

IARNRÓD ÉIREANN (Limerick/Castleconnell) (LISNAGRY STATION LEVEL CROSSING) ORDER, 1995.

I, MICHAEL LOWRY, Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications on the application of Iarnród Éireann -- Irish Rail and after consultation with the Minister for the Environment, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 9 of the Transport Act, 1958 (No. 19 of 1958), the Communications (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order, 1991 ( S.I. No. 26 of 1991 ), and the Tourism, Transport and Communications (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order, 1993 ( S.I. No. 17 of 1993 ), hereby order as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as the Iarnród Éireann (Limerick/Castleconnell) (Lisnagry Station Level Crossing) Order, 1995.

2. This Order shall come into operation on the 18th day of September, 1995.

3. In this Order--

" the Company" means Iarnród Éireann - Irish Rail;

"left" and "right" mean, respectively, left and right looking towards the level crossing from the adjoining portion of the said public road;

"the level crossing" means that place where the Company's railway between Limerick and Castleconnell crosses on the level a public road running between Limerick and Birdhill at Lisnagry Station level crossing in the townland of Ballinacourty, parish of Stradbally and county of Limerick;

"the Minister" means the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications;

"roadway" means that portion of the said public road which is provided primarily for the use of vehicles.

4. The following provisions shall cease to apply to the crossing, that is to say--

( a ) section 9 of the Railway Regulation Act, 1842, and section 47 of the Railway Clauses Consolidation Act, 1845, and

( b ) any order, rule or regulation relating to railways and which applied to the operation of the crossing immediately before the coming into operation of this Order.

5. The Company shall provide, maintain, control and operate at the crossing four barriers, two of which shall be at each side of the crossing.

6. Each barrier shall--

( a ) be constructed of wood or other lightweight material,

( b ) have alternate red and white bands of reflecting material on the face thereof and a red band at the tip, each band being approximately 60 centimetres in width and vertical when the barrier is lowered.

( c ) have two non-flashing red electric lights, one of which shall be placed approximately half-way along the length and on top, of the barrier, and the other of which shall be placed within 15 centimetres of the tip, and on top, of the barrier, and each of which shall be of not less power than 6 watts and so placed as to shine both ways along the road, and

( d ) be pivoted at the side of the public road and be of such length that, when lowered, the tip of the barrier shall be within 15 centimetres of the end of the adjoining barrier on the same side of the Railway and within 10 centimetres of an imaginary line drawn perpendicularly from the point nearest to the barriers on the centre line of the roadway.

7. Each barrier shall be so designed that--

( a ) when raised, it shall be approximately vertical and no part thereof shall be within 60 centimetres of a vertical line from the edge of the roadway,

( b ) when lowered it shall be at, or nearly at, right angles to the centre line of the roadway and the underside of the barrier shall be not less than 84 centimetres and not more than 1 metre above the centre of the roadway, and each point upon the bottom of the skirt attached to the barrier shall be not more than 15 centimetres above the nearest point on the roadway, and

( c ) it shall be capable of being controlled from a position near the level crossing by the employees of the Company.

8. The Company shall provide and maintain--

( a ) two red electric lights, flashing alternately and one amber electric light, located on a post on the left hand side of the public road at each side of the level crossing and facing outwards from the level crossing along the public road, the red lights being not less than 2.44 metres above the road surface and the amber light being fixed on the same post or fixture below the red lights, and not less than 2.14 metres above the road surface,

( b ) two red electric lights, flashing alternately and one amber electric light, located on a post on the right-hand side of the roadway at each side of the level crossing and facing outwards from the level crossing along the public road, the red lights being not less than 2.44 metres above the road surface and the amber light being fixed on the same post or fixture below the red lights and not less than 2.14 metres above the road surface,

( c ) an electric bell or other audible warning device at each side of the level crossing, and

( d ) an alternative power supply of sufficient capacity to operate the barriers, lights and bells for not less than 12 hours.

9. The Company shall arrange, manage, control and operate the barriers and all appliances relating thereto or connected with the regulation of the level crossing so that--

( a ) the barriers shall be kept in the raised position except when vehicles travelling along the railway have occasion to cross the said roadway,

( b ) not less than 5 seconds before the flashing red lights begin to flash the amber lights shall become illuminated and remain illuminated until the flashing red lights begin to flash, and shall then be extinguished,

( c ) the bells shall start sounding not less than 5 seconds before the flashing red lights begin to flash and shall continue to sound until the barriers are in the lowered position,

( d ) the flashing red lights shall start flashing not less than 6 seconds before the barriers begin to fall,

( e ) as respects each pair of barriers on the same side of the railway, the lowering of the barriers on the left side shall commence before the lowering of the barriers on the right side,

( f ) the operation of lowering each barrier shall occupy not less than 6, nor more than 8 seconds and such movements shall automatically switch on the non-flashing red lights on the barriers,

( g ) the flashing red lights shall continue to flash and the non-flashing red lights on the barriers shall remain illuminated while the barriers are in the lowered position,

( h ) the barriers shall remain in the lowered position until the vehicle or the last axle of the train which caused the barriers to fall has passed the level crossing and shall be raised automatically or by the crossing operator, at the option of the Company, and

( i ) the flashing red lights shall be extinguished as soon as the barriers commence to rise and the non-flashing red lights on the barriers shall be extinguished as the barriers approach the raised position.

10. The Company shall provide and maintain--

( a ) a good road surface on the level crossing and extending for 1 metre beyond the left and right edges of the roadway, and

( b ) guards against trespass abutting the left and right edges of such road surface.

11. Nothing in this Order shall operate to relieve the Company of its obligation to give the Minister the notices in writing in relation to the level crossing provided for in section 4 of the Railway Regulation Act, 1842, as amended.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 18th day of September, 1995.

MICHAEL LOWRY,

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The effect of this Order is to enable Iarnród Éireann to provide, maintain and operate at Lisnagry Station Level Crossing, County Limerick barriers instead of manually operated gates.