The development of a European standard for urban rail track design parameters has taken a significant step forward following a comprehensive industry consultation process.
The Light Rail Safety Standards Board (LRSSB) has supplied experts to a CEN working group led by Bjӧrn Kufver, an independent track expert from Sweden, which includes representatives from urban rail networks in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria, that is currently developing the first ever European track design standards specifically for Urban Rail including tramways.
Craig O’Brien, Engineering Manager for UKTram and industry representative for LRSSB, explained: “Following two year’s work, a draft standard was recently circulated for review and we received a range of comments from a wide range of operators and experts. The group is systematically working through each one of these in line with CEN process and revising the standard accordingly. The volume of work resulted in a slight delay in receiving and reviewing the comments. However, work is now back on track and we expect the standard will go out for formal approval in April 2022 when each country will vote to either accept or decline the standard, with publication expected later that year. In the meantime, the LRSSB continues to support work on other CEN urban rail standards through participation in a number of currently active working groups.”