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# Ensuring the Safety of JR Hokkaido

In September 2013, a freight train belonging to JR Freight was derailed within the premises of Onuma station of the JR Hokkaido Hakodate line.

As a result of this accident, it was discovered that JR Hokkaido had neglected track displacements that exceeded maintenance level values not only at the site of the derailment accident but in many other sites and additionally tried to doctor inspection data, which is completely unacceptable behavior for a railway operator.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism performed three special safety inspections that were in part unannounced and with no set end dates, which is unheard of, for the purpose of finding out all the problems with JR Hokkaido from including not only the usual technical areas of civil engineering, carriages, and operation but also the management structure.

As for the result of these special safety inspections, to take comprehensive and drastic measures, it was compiled as the “Measures Required by JR Hokkaido to Ensure Safety -Revamping JR Hokkaido-” and published in January 2014. An order to improve business was ordered to JR Hokkaido based on the “Railway Business Act” and a supervision order based on the “JR Companies Act” and to ensure its execution a constant audit framework was put in place from January 2014 for a period of around five years.

The railways operated by JR Hokkaido serve as a core transport system that supports the lives and economy of Hokkaido and because there are no immediate alternatives, JR Hokkaido must not only ensure the day-to-day safety of transport but also surely implement comprehensive and fundamental measures by revamping JR Hokkaido.

## (2) Promotion of Railway Crossing Measures

“Gridlocked rail crossings Note”, mainly seen in urban areas, cause crossing accidents and chronic traffic congestion requiring immediate measures. For this reason, in accordance with the “Act on Promotion of Railway Crossings” and the “9th Fundamental Traffic Safety Program”, the development of grade separations, structural improvements, and pedestrian bridges as well as improvements of crossing safety facilities for crossing gates are being used to prevent crossing accidents.

In FY2013, based on the “Act on Promotion of Railway Crossings”, 7 crossings that need grade separations, 25 crossings that need structural improvements such as widening, and 50 crossings requiring safety facilities were designated. Furthermore, fast-acting measures such as widening of pedestrian paths and radical measures such as the removal of crossings through grade separation were promoted.

## (3) Promoting the Development of Platform Doors

To improve the safety of the visually impaired and other rail station users, the installation of platform doors to prevent falling from the platform is being promoted (installed at 583 stations as of the end of fiscal year 2013). Based on the “Basic Policy to Promote Smoothness of Transport etc.” (March 2011) and the “Priority Plan for Social Infrastructure Development” (August 2012), hard measures such as the promoting the development of platform doors and tactile pavings with boundary lines as well as technology development for platform doors with better carriage door alignment and soft measures are being promoted such as “friendly manners campaign” calling on rail users to offer assistance to those such as the visually impaired.