Tuesday 12 March 2024

9th meeting of the UIC Trespass and Suicide Prevention Network (TreSP-Network) held on 6 March 2024 in Madrid

Share this article

On 6 March, 45 participants (in person and online) from 16 countries, including USA and Japan, were hosted by ADIF and the Foundation of Spanish Railways (Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles – FFE) at the Railway Museum of Madrid (Museo del Ferrocarril).

Adrián Fernández Carrasco, Director General of FFE, together with Esther Mateo Rodriguez, Director of safety, security, cyber security at ADIF and Chair of the UIC Safety Platform, welcomed all the participants.

Ann Mills, Deputy Director System Safety and Health at RSSB, Chair of the UIC
TreSP-Network and Vice Chair of the UIC Safety Platform, opened the meeting and thanked our hosts, including Angeles Tauler, José Manuel Liberal Liberal and Laura Laurenzo Carrascosa from FFE.

Nils La Cour, DSB, Vice Chair of the TreSP-Network, participated online.

Participants shared best practices on technical and engineering solutions, and education, awareness and enforcement measures that contribute to reducing the number of collisions and casualties at and around railway tracks.

Special guests from Spain were in attendance:

  • Laura Simón and Carlos Miranda de Larra, who spoke of operational safety on the Madrid Metro.
  • Francisco García Torrés from the Spanish Railway Safety Agency (AESF) shared views and initiatives by AESF to tackle trespass and suicide prevention related issues.

Ann Mills invited participants to comment on some measures published on the Restrail toolbox in order to update them:

Johan Fredin Knutzén, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, shared the results of the UIC questionnaire on the use of blue lights to prevent suicides.

Luc Sillen, INFRABEL, presented “Trespass prevention measures in Belgium”.
Annelies de Keyser and Catherine Gillard shared INFRABEL’s “National railway safety plan in Belgium and launch of a new educational programme for deaf and hard of hearing users”.

Isabelle Fonverne provided information regarding the 3rd edition of the TRESPAD campaign that will target “Vulnerable users” (all kinds of pedestrians and cyclists, children, teenagers, elderly people, impaired persons, PRM, etc.).
Members agreed on:

  • the TRESPAD slogan 2024: “Beware of trains, life can change in a split second”;
  • the videos and posters that were being prepared;
  • the usual joint ILCAD/TRESPAD press release, which would be available in various languages and sent to participating countries by mid-May.

All these communication supports would be translated into several languages and shared with participating countries.

The ILCAD/TRESPAD 2024 campaigns will be launched at two international conference events hosted by the Argentinian Transport Safety Board (Junta de Seguridad en el Transporte – JST) on 5 and 6 June 2024 respectively. These conferences will take place in Spanish and English.

Isabelle Fonverne reminded members that:

  • the call for papers to the TRESPAD conference and the call for sponsorship were available here;
  • more info on TRESPAD was available here.

Save the dates

  • TRESPAD: 5 June 2024, more info here
  • ILCAD: 6 June 2024, with a technical visit on 7 June, more info here
  • 10th meeting of the TreSP-Network planned for 12 September 2024 in Zagreb at the kind invitation of Danijela Baric, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Transport and traffic sciences
  • 11th meeting: early December 2024, exact date to be decided (online)
    Scott Gabree from Volpe Centre, USA, summarised the main presentations made at the last GRASP (Global Railway Alliance for Suicide Prevention) meeting held online on 18 January 2024.

Isabelle Fonverne told members that UIC had officially launched the “UIC OPT IN Project on AI to observe LC users’ behaviours, trespassers and suicidal behaviours” and that it would last until 2026. FS (RFI), Network Rail, ProRail and Trafikverket are all participating in it.

In the evening, the group had the great privilege of visiting the Fernán Núñez Palace, the official headquarters of the Spanish Railways Foundation (FFE). Built in the 18th century, it was purchased by the Western Railway Company in 1941 and currently belongs to Adif and Renfe. It is a wonderful example of baroque architecture, full of ancient stories.

On the morning of 7 March, members were invited to join with GLCN to visit the Atocha control centre and train station.

Thank you to ADIF and FFE for their excellent hospitality.

#safety #uicrail #ilcad #saferlc #levelcrossing #restrail #trespad #TrespassSuicidePrevention #internationalwomensday #womeninrail #DíaInternacionalDeLaMujer #adif #ffe #renfe #aesf

For further information please contact Isabelle Fonverne, Senior Safety Advisor: fonverne at uic.org

2 Votes

Average rating: 5 / 5

TreSP Network meeting, Railway Museum
From the left: Ann Mills, Esther Mateo Rodriguez, Adrián Fernández Carrasco
Palacio Nuñes (FFE HQ)