NR NR/L2/OTK/5100 ISSUE 5 PDF

This manual is applicable to all employees and suppliers involved in the management of boundary measures and describes the requirements for:

a) boundary measure classifications;

b) boundary measure specifications;

c) a register of assets; 

d) inspection of boundary measures protecting Network Rail’s operational infrastructure, depots and adjacent railway facilities; 

e) inspection of boundary measures protecting Network Rail’s disused and closed lines and other non-operational land; 

f) inspection of third party owned boundary measures which are used to control unauthorised access to the railway; 

g) maintaining the boundary; 

h) degradation and renewal; 

i) risk assessment; 

j) response and rectification timescales; 

k) investigation of incidents; and 

l) prioritisation of works. 

Not included within this manual are: 

i. security measures that do not form part of the boundary; 

ii. retaining walls (see NR/L3/CIV/006, Retaining Walls); 

iii. vehicle containment (see NR/L3/CIV/00012, Road Vehicle Incursions: Risk Assessment of Public and Non-Public Bridge and Neighbouring Sites); 

iv. acoustic fences (barriers); 

v. touch potential barriers; 

vi. safety barriers between two sets of operational lines; 

vii. boundary measures forming part of a station or depot lease agreement; 

viii. trespass/incursion via bridges, stations and level crossings.

Purpose 

Management of Boundary Measures

The management of the boundary measure is a process using risk assessment that contributes to the safe performance of the railway infrastructure and our duty of care to the public. Loss of an effective boundary measure affects the safety and performance of the railway. 

Management is required to assess that: 

a) the boundary measure adequately delineates Network Rail property from that of a third party or adjacent railway facility; 

b) the boundary measure provides a continuous barrier that is adequate to deter threats of trespass and livestock incursion onto Network Rail property from the adjacent land where they are reasonably foreseeable; and 

c) the construction of the barrier is of sufficient design in relation to the threat that is expected from the adjacent land use. 

Bow Tie Threats 

The bow-tie threats to continuous effective boundary measures (see NR/GN/OTK/5000/002, People and Livestock – Loss of boundary measure) are: 

a) deliberate damage from acts of trespass and vandalism; 

b) non-deliberate damage from livestock which includes most domesticated animals kept on land (commonly, horse, cattle, sheep, pig and goat); 

c) non-deliberate damage from road vehicles or fallen objects including trees; 

d) non-malicious acts by railway personnel; 

e) unchecked asset degradation leading to failure of components; 

f) inappropriate boundary measure specification, dimension or components that do not adequately deter trespass or incursion; 

g) change in land use and railway characteristics that will increase the likelihood or consequence of an incident; and 

h) effectiveness of boundary measure reduced by external occurrence such as change in ground level next to the boundary due to landslip, snow loading, wind-loading, waterlogging and washout of footings.