Regulations on placement of safety devices of railroad crossings from December 1, 2023 in Vietnam

Regulations on placement of safety devices of railroad crossings from December 1, 2023 in Vietnam (Internet image) 

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

The Minister of Transport issued Circular 29/2023/TT-BGTVT on railroad crossings and construction license for essential structures on railroad ground in Vietnam.

Regulations on placement of safety devices of railroad crossings from December 1, 2023 in Vietnam

Specifically, the placement of safety devices of railroad crossings from December 1, 2023 will be implemented as follows:

(1) In case of attended railroad crossings:

- Manually-operated crossings barrier, crossing gates or electric-powered crossing barriers, crossing gates which are manually controlled or automatic crossing barriers;

- Stationary fences;

- Road markings;

- Railway and road signs;

- Lights, sirens, or loudspeakers;

- Railroad crossing signals, other than railroad crossings located within range of signals for station entry, station exit, or signals of shunting yards, block signals for railway with automatic rail closing device, or other safety signals when signals above are less than 800 away from railroad crossings;

- Railroad crossing supervision system and other equipment relating to traffic safety assurance at railroad crossings.

Attended railroad crossing means a railroad crossing watched by assigned guards.

(Clause 3, Article 3, Circular 29/2023/TT-BGTVT)

(2) In case of unattended railroad crossings:

- Railroad crossings with automatic warning:

+ Automatic crossing barriers (if any);

+ Stationary fences;

+ Road markings, speed humps, speed bumps; train warning signs;

+ Railway and road signs;

+ Lights, sirens, or loudspeakers;

+ Railroad crossing supervision system and other equipment relating to traffic safety assurance at railroad crossings.

- Existing railroad crossings with signs:

+ Posts;

+ Road markings, speed humps, speed bumps; train warning signs, STOP (R122) signs in combination with auxiliary signs that say “Dừng lại quan sát trước khi qua đường ngang” (Observe before crossing);

+ Railway and road signs;

+ Other equipment relating to traffic safety assurance at railroad crossings.

Unattended railroad crossing means a railroad crossing protected by automatic warning system or warning signs.

(Clause 4, Article 3, Circular 29/2023/TT-BGTVT)

Regulations on safety arrangement of railroad crossings according to Circular 29/2023/TT-BGTVT in Vietnam

According to Article 11 of Circular 29/2023/TT-BGTVT, the safety arrangement of railroad crossings is prescribed as follows:

- In case of class I and class II railroad crossings, attended personnel shall be required.

- In case of class III railroad crossings:

+ Automatic warning system shall be required if visibility is guaranteed at the site of railroad crossings;

+ Attended personnel shall be required if visibility is not guaranteed at the site of railroad crossings;

+ With respect to railroad crossings where automatic warning system is installed and railroad crossing where traffic signs are installed where visibility is not guaranteed at the site of railroad crossings:

Railway infrastructure enterprises shall take charge and cooperate with People’s Committees of districts, road authority in inspecting and requesting the Vietnam Railway Administration in arranging warning schemes at dangerous railroad crossings on national railway in a manner conforming to principles of ensuring safe train operation and traffic safety at railroad crossings and submitting reports on implementation to the Ministry of Transport;

Enterprises providing specialized railway shall take charge and cooperate with People’s Committees of districts and road authority in inspecting and requesting owners of specialized railway or owners or specialized road to organize warning schemes at dangerous railroad crossings on specialized railway.

If owners of specialized roads are incapable of arranging warning schemes, the owners shall reach a written agreement with specialized railway infrastructure enterprises regarding traffic safety measures at the site of railroad crossings.

- Maps of attended and unattended railroad crossings are detailed under Appendix II of Circular 29/2023/TT-BGTVT.

More details can be found in Circular 29/2023/TT-BGTVT taking effect on December 1, 2023.

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