Information from the inter net

Japanese Research.

Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics

December 2002. Pages 1601 to 1610.

Several rail accidents have been caused by strong winds.

Solutions.

Wind barriers (fences) at critical points.

Speed restrictions; Suspension of services;

Regulation of operations based on wind speed and direction.

Japanese Railway Accident

The Japan Times 03-04-08

Wind Induced Derailment; 46 passengers; 5 killed, 33 injured.

Police are still investigating whether speed restrictions and the number of wind speed monitoring points were adequate.

The railway company may be prosecuted.

The late Mrs Dunwoody MP

Ex Chair of the Select Committee of the HoC on Transport.

In the UK  this matter was hardly recognised as a problem untill the HoC select Committee on Transport published my short paper in 2006. (view this by putting "Caravan and HGV Trailer Accidents" in to the UK Parliament on line web site search engine ). Bath University research had been ignored by the caravan industry/caravan clubs and was possibly not known about by the remainder of the corporate sector ( except that indespension.co.uk recognise the fact that strong winds can cause trailer snaking and some wind protection has been created on UK roads eg the M4 new crossing of the Severn Estuary).

 Due I am sure mainly to the efforts of Mrs Dunwoody, the Highways Agency are now warning caravanners of the dangers of cross winds and have increased the number of warnings issued advising all motorists to slow down due to strong winds (ie warnings on road side electronic displays).

In addition, following a recent accident, some rail companies are imposing speed limits when strong winds are forecast, but as far as I know, neither Network Rail or the Highways Agency have installed anemometers giving out wind speed and direction at the side of the track/road.

(see www.caravanaccidents3.wordpress.com 

Para 5  Letter to Mrs Dunwoody)