Highway - Railway Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention Focus of International Symposium

Highway - Railway Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention Focus of International Symposium Montreal - Over 200 delegates from more than 20 countries will represent all elements of the railway industry at the 9th International Level Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention Symposium in Montreal’s Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth next week from September 10-14.

Hon. Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, said “the conference theme, Partners in Safety, reflects both Canada’s leadership role in the field and the opportunity for delegates to share their knowledge and learn from others’ experiences around the world.”

Delegates and speakers at the symposium will include railway company leaders, association representatives, and leaders from government departments, safety organizations, suppliers, manufacturers and research organizations. A capacity-building workshop for developing countries and others with special challenges will be held on Sunday, as will the semi-annual meeting of the Washington-based Transportation Safety and Research Board, said Gary Drouin, chair of the symposium and co-chair of Direction 2006, a government, industry and community initiative to drive-down the number of crossing collisions and trespass incidents further and faster.

The program will include a number of sessions under the sub-themes of the accomplishments and challenges of railway safety, human performance, and the future vision of crossing safety and trespass prevention programs.

“The range of speakers and various symposium events illustrate how important and how international in scope that public safety around railways is,” said Dan Di Tota, national director of Canada’s Operation Lifesaver which is marking its 25th anniversary this fall. The program, co-sponsored by Transport Canada, the Railway Association of Canada and their partners, has reduced crossing collisions and trespass incidents along the railway tracks in Canada by more than 60 percent over the past quarter century.

In addition to speaking sessions, technical tours and networking events, the symposium will feature an exhibition with more than 20 exhibitors. Conference sponsors include CN, Canadian Pacific Railway, Bombardier, Transport Canada, Transports Quebec and the 57 freight and passenger railways that are members of the Railway Association of Canada. For more information, go to www.levelcrossing2006.com.


Contact Information:

Roger Cameron
Railway Association of Canada
rogerc@railcan.ca
613-564-8097

Cathy Cossaboom
Transport Canada
COSSABC@tc.gc.ca
613-993-0055