Public rail company Infrabel has unveiled a safety action plan following six deaths on its railway lines in 2023.
There were 36 accidents on Infrabel railway lines in 2023, down from 45 in 2019. In addition, there were 632 emergency calls compared to 705 in 2019.
Despite this decline, the company is intent on reinforcing safety on its lines, firstly to preserve human life, but also to mitigate the the impact of accidents on delays. Accidents at crossings resulted in 53,000 minutes of train delays in 2023 – 2.5 hours a day. People trespassing on the lines in the same year caused a further 217,000 minutes worth of delays (10 hours a day).
The action plan consists predominantly in infrastructural changes. The company plans to eliminate level crossings wherever possible, and install flashing LED lights at 176 crossings in the next 10 years. 20 of the latter have already been installed as part of a pilot project.
Enforcement will play a large role in verifying that these measures are effective, and police will conduct regular inspections at each level crossing.
In addition, Infrabel has launched a digital awareness campaign titled ‘Voices of those who remain’, which broadcasts the testimonies of victims' relatives. An extensive education programme will also be rolled out across Belgian schools.
Finally, a new emergency number, 1711, will be available around the clock and will have the power to stop any train in case of an emergency.
