Need to promptly handle black spots of railway traffic accidents in Hoang Mai town

Black spot accident

At about 4:20 p.m. on May 2, at Km 241+200, through Tan Hung block, Quynh Thien ward (Hoang Mai town), a car with license plate 36A-445.xx was traveling from a residential road to National Highway 1A, when crossing a railway without a barrier, it collided with train SE12 traveling from Vinh to Hanoi. The accident caused the car to be thrown by the train to the side of the road and was severely damaged. The car driver was then taken to the emergency room by local people in critical condition.

It is worth mentioning that this is not a case.traffic accidentThe only one between trains and cars in this area. The railway line passing through Tan Hung block has long been considered a black spot, posing many risks of accidents due to the many level crossings and self-opened paths across the railway.

The car was thrown into the guardrail in the accident that happened on the afternoon of May 2. Photo: Thanh Yen

The most recent incident was at around 1:45 p.m. on January 27, right at the railway crossing at Km240+625 through Tan Hung area, train SE5 on the Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City route collided head-on with a 7-seat car with license plate 37A-362.xx, when the car was crossing a residential road without a barrier from National Highway 1A to enter a residential area. At that time, there were 5 people in the car. Although the accident did not cause any human casualties, it caused a 2-meter fence to collapse, and the car was severely damaged, affecting train operations and causing traffic congestion.

Mr. Phan Duc Phap - Head of Tan Hung Block, Quynh Thien Ward said: Being named a "black spot" is really undesirable for the people here. Because almost the entire residential area of ​​Tan Hung and Tan Thanh Blocks of Quynh Thien Ward is located to the west of the North-South railway. Not to mention that the area to the west of the railway also has many quarries and businesses, so the number of people and vehicles passing through the residential crossings to National Highway 1A and vice versa is very large. Previously, the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee also came to work at the block to survey, narrow and close some self-opened crossings, including the crossing leading to the welcome gate of Tan Hung Block. The locality also proposed to relocate automatic barriers from other places to install here and narrow the self-opened paths at some other points. However, for some reason, it has not been implemented yet.

"While waiting for the authorities to handle the situation, another accident happened. Fortunately, there were no casualties. However, I hope that the relevant authorities will not wait until the cow is gone before building the barn," Mr. Phap emphasized.

The opening from National Highway 1A to the Tan Hung block welcome gate always has many vehicles passing through, but has not been completely resolved yet. Photo: Tien Dong

Faced with the situation of traffic safety loss at self-opened paths and residential crossings without automatic barriers in Hoang Mai town, especially in Tan Hung block (Quynh Thien ward), in early 2023, the Traffic Safety Committee of Nghe An province organized a direct on-site inspection in Quynh Thien ward. After a field survey, the Traffic Safety Committee sent a document to the People's Committee of Hoang Mai town, requesting that the locality direct Quynh Thien ward to coordinate with Thanh Hoa Railway Joint Stock Company to inspect and make a plan to coordinate in handling violations on land reserved for railways and railway traffic safety corridors such as: Canopies, pouring concrete, placing tents, stalls, and other items on land reserved for railways and railway traffic safety corridors. Survey and install a system of signs and directional signs for people and vehicles to legally enter the crossing and avoid traffic congestion on the railway service road. Organize to narrow the path to prevent cars from passing through the self-opened path at Km240+625 in Tan Hung block (Quynh Thien ward).

Warning signs were installed hastily in front of the passageway without automatic barriers. Photo: Tien Dong

Organize inspections and remedy factors that cause traffic insecurity at self-opened crossings in the area, especially at the location where self-opened crossings have caused accidents, which are black spots and potential railway traffic accident spots, specifically: Km240+350; Km241+395; the section from Km242+750 to Km242+900...

Must close the self-opening path soon

The North-South railway line through Hoang Mai town is about 11km long, including 18 self-opening crossings. In addition, there are 2 residential crossings on the route that do not have automatic barriers at: Km240+625m (Tan Hung village gate, Quynh Thien ward) and Km241+195m.

Regarding the request to close the self-opening walkway at Km 240+625 and the self-opening walkways of households connecting directly across the railway as requested by the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee, on April 10, the People's Committee of Hoang Mai town issued Document No. 812/UBND-QLDT to relevant departments and branches regarding the addition and adjustment of automatic barriers at Km240+625 and Km241+195 on the North-South railway line through Quynh Thien ward.

The existence of self-made paths across railways always poses a very high risk of accidents. Photo: Tien Dong

Accordingly, the People's Committee of Hoang Mai town and the People's Committee of Quynh Thien ward have also worked with households many times to narrow and close the crossings, but the people did not agree. Therefore, the people have submitted a petition to relevant levels and sectors requesting to supplement and adjust the position of the automatic barrier. To ensure railway traffic safety, and at the same time, in response to the wishes of more than 300 households in Tan Hung block, the People's Committee of Hoang Mai town also requested the Provincial People's Committee and the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee to have a plan to move the automatic barrier at the Km240+406m crossing to the Km240+625m crossing, then organize the closure of the crossing at Km240+406m.

After moving, the location of the level crossing with barrier at Km240+625 is 525m away from the location of the level crossing with barrier at Km240+100.

Hoang Mai Town People's Committee also proposed adding an automatic barrier at Km241+195. If this location is installed, the distance to the level crossing with a barrier at Km240+625 will be 565m, and the distance to the nearest level crossing with a barrier at Km242+090 will be 895m.

Mr. Pham Van Hao - Vice Chairman of Hoang Mai Town People's Committee said that adding and adjusting the automatic barrier position at the above 2 locations is one of the solutions to eliminate black spots in Tan Hung block, Quynh Thien ward. This is also consistent with the distance specified in Article 6, Circular 25/2018/TT-BGTVT dated May 14, 2018 of the Ministry of Transport. If implemented soon, it will contribute to reducing the risk of accidents, especially when these 2 locations have a large traffic volume of people and vehicles, being the main traffic axis into residential areas.

Conclusion of the working session between the Vietnam Railway Authority and the Nghe An Department of Transport on March 31, 2023. Photo: Tien Dong

On April 13, at the meeting between the Vietnam Railway Authority and the Nghe An Department of Transport, Mr. Tran Thien Canh - Deputy Director of the Vietnam Railway Authority also requested the locality to have a plan and a document reporting to the Ministry of Transport on the relocation of the level crossing at KM240+406 to the self-opened passage at Km240+625 to remove 1 self-opened passage. For the self-opened passage at Km241+195 also in Tan Hung block (Quynh Thien ward), there is a document requesting the Ministry of Transport to allow the establishment of a level crossing.

Although the meeting between the Vietnam Railway Authority and the Nghe An Department of Transport reached some conclusions as above, up to this point, according to Mr. Phan Huy Chuong - Deputy Head of the Traffic Safety Committee of Nghe An province, the closure or relocation of the self-opened crossing in Hoang Mai town has not been implemented. Mr. Chuong commented that the reason may be due to lack of funding for implementation. However, to ensure railway traffic safety and limit the risk of human damage when trains collide with other vehicles, adjusting the location of the crossing as well as narrowing the self-opened crossings is extremely necessary. Otherwise, once a fatal accident occurs, it will be a great loss not only for the victim's family but also for the whole society./.