A Road Rail Access Point (RRAP) is a prepared location where road-rail vehicles and other on-track plant can drive off the road and onto the railway, or off it again. It gives a firm, level surface at rail height so machines can be put on and taken off the track safely, close to where the work is, instead of travelling long distances along the line.
Key facts
- What they’re for: on tracking, off tracking and cross tracking of road-rail vehicles (RRVs) and on-track plant.
- Permanent or temporary: RRAPs can be permanent, semi-permanent or temporary installations.
- The standard: RSSB’s Code of Practice COP0007 gives guidance on safe on, off and cross tracking of on-track plant, including where RRAPs should be placed in relation to railway hazards.
- A typical design: in one Network Rail route programme, permanent RRAPs were about 9.9 m long along the track, with reinforced concrete aprons and heavy-duty rubber crossing panels, and a planned life of 30 years.
- Finding them: Network Rail’s Access Points app lists more than 18,000 access points.
Why are RRAPs needed?
Road-rail vehicles are widely used for track maintenance and renewals because they can be driven by road to the nearest access point, without the special routing a rail-only machine needs. Their drawback is that they need space and a suitable surface to get onto the track. Without a proper RRAP, on tracking can be slow and risks the machine derailing or overturning, which is the risk COP0007 is designed to control.
How do RRAPs improve safety and productivity?
- Safer on and off tracking: a level, well-designed surface reduces the risk of a machine derailing or overturning as it gets on or off the rails.
- Less time and effort getting to work: plant can be put on the track close to the worksite, cutting travel along the line and long walks carrying equipment, which also helps reduce fatigue.
- More productive possessions: less time spent getting machines to and from the worksite means more of a possession or line blockage can be spent on the work itself.
- Protection for the track: crossing panels and aprons spread the load of vehicles, protecting the rails and track structure.
- Faster response: well-placed permanent RRAPs let machines reach a problem quickly, which is valuable in an emergency.
What does an RRAP include?
- A road approach and hardstanding for vehicles to arrive and position.
- A crossing surface at rail level, commonly made of rubber or concrete panels, so wheels can be lined up with the rails.
- Aprons between and beside the tracks to support vehicles and protect the track.
- Boundary protection, such as gates and anti-trespass sections, so the access point doesn’t become a route onto the railway for trespassers.
Where platforms or switches and crossings get in the way, a second crossing may be built to allow machines to change tracks.
Planning work around an RRAP
The RRAP to be used, and how plant will be put on and taken off the track, should be part of the safe system of work for the job. On tracking and off tracking take place within the protection arranged for the work, following COP0007 and the site’s arrangements. Precise location details, such as the access point reference or a what3words address, help the team and plant arrive at the right place. See our guide to safe system of work planning.
RRAPs at RSS Infrastructure
Our Civils and Construction team, led by Dave Bamford, delivers RRAP works alongside UTX/URX crossings, groundworks, foundations and platform works for Network Rail and Tier 1 contractors, including the Frouds Lane RRAP removal.
Sources
- RSSB: COP0007 – Code of Practice for On, Off and Cross Tracking of On-Track Plant
- Rail Engineer: New RRV access points in action
- Network Rail Safety Central: Access Points app
