scope:

General

The policy supports the two top level crossing risk event bow ties:

• Animal, vehicle, object or person on the line at risk of collision; and

• Incident on or near level crossing not involving a railway vehicle.

The policy provides guiding principles which relate to all of the controls identified in the bow-ties.

Practical examples of the application of the policy are provided in appendix A.

The policy applies to all employees and others engaged in activities connected with any aspect of a level crossing asset life cycle.

The policy applies to the whole the level crossing estate. It covers passive, e.g. footpath and user worked level crossings and active, e.g. automatic and manually controlled level crossings.

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to specify the asset management policy for the whole of the Network Rail Level Crossing estate.

The Level Crossing asset management policy seeks to optimise the performance, risk and cost of ownership of the Level Crossing estate across all of its life cycle stages from concept to disposal to deliver minimum whole life cost.

The policy is structured around the six main subject areas and 39 sub-groups identified in the Institute of Asset Management document 'Anatomy of Asset Management':

• strategy and planning;

• asset management decision-making;

• life cycle delivery;

• asset information;

• organisation and people; and

• risk and review.

The Institute of Asset Management guidance is recognised as best practice against which Network Rail is measured by the Office of Rail and Road, 'The Regulator'.