S.I. No. 47/1985 - Córas Iompair Éireann (Athenry-Galway) (Garraun Level Crossing) Order, 1985.


I, JIM MITCHELL, Minister for Communications, on the application of CÓras Iompair Éireann and in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 22 of the Transport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1971 (No. 14 of 1971), and the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1983 (No. 40 of 1983), and after consultation with the Minister for the Environment, hereby order as follows:—

1. This Order may be cited as the CÓras Iompair Éireann (Athenry-Galway) (Garraun Level Crossing) Order, 1985.

2. This Order shall come into operation on the 28th day of February, 1985.

3. In this Order—

"the Board" means CÓras Iompair Éireann;

"the Minister" means the Minister for Communications;

"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 Claregalway at Garraun Level Crossing in the townland of Garraun South, 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 0.6 metres apart and not less than 2.4 metres above the road surface and to have a combined flashing rate of between sixty and eighty flashes per minute;

(b) an electric bell or other audible warning device 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) two St. Andrew Crosses, each not less than 1.3 metres wide and faced with white reflective material outlined in red, one such Cross to be placed on top of each of the two poles bearing the red lights;

(e) a telephone in a conspicuously marked housing at each side of the crossing connected to one of the Board's signal boxes controlling railway traffic at the crossing;

(f) 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 or other audible warning devices 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 or other audible warning devices shall start sounding not less than thirty two seconds before the arrival at the crossing of any vehicle travelling along the railway;

(b) the lights shall continue to flash and the bells or other audible warning devices 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 or other audible warning devices 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 9.1 metres long, or 2.9 metres wide, or 18.2 tonnes laden weight) or slow vehicles (16 kilometres 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 1 metre beyond the left and right edges of the roadway;

(f) guards against trespass 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 my Official Seal, this 27th day of February, 1985.

JIM MITCHELL,

Minister for Communications.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

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