S.I. No. 175/1977 - Córas Iompair Éireann (Athenry-Galway) (Frenchfort Level Crossing) Order, 1977.

The Minister for Transport and Power, on the application of Córas Iompair Éireann and in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 22 of the Transport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1971 (No. 14 of 1971), and after consultation with the Minister for Local Government, hereby orders as follows:—

1. This Order may be cited as the Córas Iompair Éireann (Athenry-Galway) (Frenchfort Level Crossing) Order, 1977.

2. This Order shall come into operation on the 17th day of June, 1977.

3. In this Order—

"the Board" means Córas Iompair Éireann;

'the Minister" means the Minister for Transport and Power;

"the crossing" means that place where the Board's railway between Athenry and Galway crosses on the level a public road running between the Dublin-Galway road and Frenchfort at Frenchfort Level Crossing in the townland of Frenchfort, parish of Oranmore and county of Galway;

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

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

4. Any obligation of the Board to provide or maintain gates at the crossing shall cease to apply to the crossing.

5. (1) The Board shall provide and maintain—

( a ) two red electric lights, flashing alternately, located on the left side of the road at each side of the crossing and shining outwards from the crossing along the road, such lights to be two feet apart and not less than eight feet above the road surface and to have a combined flashing rate of between fifty and seventy flashes per minute;

( b ) an electric bell at each side of the crossing;

( c ) an alternative power supply of sufficient capacity to operate the lights and bells for not less than twelve hours;

( d ) a telephone in a conspicuously marked housing at each side of the crossing connected to one of the Boards signal boxes controlling railway traffic at the crossing;

( e ) if the signal box to which the telephones are connected is not continuously attended, a yellow light inside or adjacent to each telephone housing and capable of being illuminated from the signal box to indicate that the line is closed to railway traffic.

(2) The lights and bells shall be operated electrically and shall, at the option of the Board, be either controlled automatically by track circuits or treadles on the railway line on each approach to the crossing or manually controlled by proper persons employed by the Board.

6. The Board shall arrange, manage, control and operate all appliances relating to or connected with the regulation of the crossing so that—

( a ) the lights shall start flashing and the bells shall start sounding not less than twenty-five seconds before the arrival at the crossing of any vehicle travelling along the railway;

( b ) the lights shall continue to flash and the bells shall continue to sound until the completion of the passage through the crossing of the vehicle or vehicles for which the lights were made to flash when the lights shall be extinguished and the bells shall cease to sound;

( c ) the alternative power supply referred to in Article 5 (1) (c) of this Order shall come into operation automatically if the main power supply should fail.

7. The Board shall provide and maintain—

( a ) a notice at each side of the crossing instructing drivers of large vehicles (over 30 feet long, or 9 feet 6 inches wide, or 18 tons laden weight) or slow vehicles (10 miles per hour or less) and persons in charge of herds of animals to telephone the signalman before crossing;

( b ) a notice at or near each telephone indicating that if the yellow light at the telephone housing is illuminated the line is closed to railway traffic;

( c ) a notice at each side of the crossing advising road users to telephone the signalman if there appears to be undue delay or in any emergency;

( d ) a whistle board on the railway line at each approach to the crossing as an indication to drivers of vehicles passing along the railway which are equipped with whistles or horns to cause such whistles or horns to be sounded continuously when approaching the crossing;

( e ) a good road surface on the crossing and extending for three feet beyond the left and right edges of the roadway, such edges to be marked by broken yellow lines;

( f ) cattle grids abutting the left and right edges of such road surface.

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

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Transport and Power

this 15th day of June, 1977.

M. A. HAYES.

A person authorised under Section 15 (1) of the Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924 , to authenticate the Seal of the said Minister.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The effect of this Order is to enable Córas Iompair Éireann to substitute automatically controlled lights and bells for gates at Frenchfort Level Crossing, Co. Galway.