More than 1,000 potential railway traffic accident spots

The Ministry of Transport has just reported to the Government the results of implementing policies and laws on ensuring traffic safety and order in the railway sector from 2019 to the end of 2023.

Accordingly, from 2019 to the end of 2023, the whole country has eliminated 777/4,093 self-opened walkways (reaching 18.9%) in densely populated areas with high train density and at locations with high potential risks of railway traffic accidents, while preventing the emergence of self-opened walkways on railway lines.

The Ministry of Transport and localities have implemented fences to narrow the width of 1,348/1,805 self-opened walkways to less than 3m for self-opened walkways with a width of over 3m (reaching 74.6%); placed "Attention to trains" signs at 2,993/3,316 self-opened walkways (reaching 90.2%); and organized security at 358/592 points (reaching 60.4%).

Localities and the railway sector have so far only built 20,757m of service roads and 15,089m of road-railway separation fences; built 2/149 underpasses (1.34%); and built 3/297 new level crossings (1.01%).

According to the report of the Ministry of Transport, some localities have proactively invested funds to close and remove dangerous self-opened paths, maintain traffic safety; support site clearance for projects to build service road systems and isolation fences along railways using the central budget, helping people's travel to be convenient and safe.

Assessing the period 2019-2023, the order of railway traffic safety corridors in recent years has continued to be maintained and improved. Up to now, the Ministry of Transport, the railway industry and localities have completed the preparation of detailed records and organized the management of dangerous locations and self-opened paths; 34/34 provinces and cities have developed plans and roadmaps to narrow, reduce and eliminate self-opened paths in localities.

Previously, the Ministry of Transport had requested the People's Committees of provinces and cities with railways passing through to prioritize funding from local budgets to implement the elimination of self-opened crossings across railways according to the approved plan and roadmap.