OLE to Wigan Pier!

[whole diary]

[broadgage]

I can't see the distinction between killing a trespasser by kinetic rather than electrical energy. A kJ from any source applied to the human body will have a similar effect. Having been on several services that have hit people, the train does generally win.

What is legally necessary is that inadvertent harm is not caused. Injury caused by trespassing on an active railway whether electrified or not cannot be inadvertent.

A small exception has been made for unmaintained fencing where children have gained easy access.

OTC

I agree, but the courts and legal system do not. They seem likely to take the view that conductor rails introduce an EXTRA hazard in addition to that of being run over. I take the view that trespassers get what they deserve, but the law sees it otherwise. Older children should be warned of the risks and those too young to understand should be supervised.

[Electric train]

The policy even allows the posiblity of new third rail electrification!!!!

Special pleading here - juice rails from Wokingham to Ash junction and Shalford junction to Reigate NOW!

Although new conductor rail electrification is now allowed in theory, I doubt that we will see any beyond VERY minor extensions.
Someone, somewhere, has still got to "sign of" a new conductor rail installation as being "as safe as is reasonably practical" whilst knowingly rejecting available and safer alternatives such as OHLE or battery power. That person could be at risk of prosecution years later when a trespasser is killed.

The risk assessments do involve future, the mitigation for this at the time of design is to have the maintenance plan developed, this applies equally well to any existing railway where a major improvement is carried out.  Its just the type of anti trespass measures and the maintenance of it depends on electrification type or non electrified, line speed etc the infrastructure operator at some future date in the event of a trespass getting killed or injured woill have to demonstrate in a Court that all reasonable steps were taken to prevent the trespass.

For extension / infill of exposed top contact third rail electrification there are hurdles to overcome but they are not insurmountable.  Alternative fuels / batteries may not provide the answer for high speed (100 to 150kmh) high density rail system we have in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).   The change in policy does place extension / infill of exposed top contact third rail electrification back on the electrification agenda