Stations, platforms, trains… back to school with safety in mind
A new school year inevitably means new resolutions! And not just for lessons… After a well-deserved school break, the CFL are delighted to see their passengers, schoolchildren, students and teachers back on their trains. An opportunity to remind everyone of a few essential safety concepts and behaviors in stations.
On the platforms, check out the line
Older customers knew it as yellow. Now it’s usually white and ‘podotactile’ – designed to help the visually impaired find their way around. It is marked out on all the platforms of rail stops and stations in the country: the safety line.
As explained in a previous article on this blog, the safety line marks a limit that must not be crossed, particularly when the train enters the station. Increasingly silent, trains nevertheless represent several hundred tonnes in motion. Another major risk is the slipstream effect caused by the air displaced by the moving train.
Respect, a cardinal value on or near the train
Visuals and a song speak louder than words. Correct and respectful behaviour near and in the train explained on video:
Can you hear the train coming?
A podcast, a video, the news or simply music… on the train you can enjoy a wide range of content on your smartphone (reading a book from time to time is also interesting 😉 ). But we advise you to be seated before pulling out your smartphone. To be totally focused on the environment on the platform and the train entering the station, it’s best to avoid having your eyes glued to a screen or music in your ears.
There’s no need to hurry…
When boarding the train, there’s no need to rush. First of all, let the customers who are exiting, leave first. Avoid being distracted by your smartphone – a fall while boarding the train is rarely pleasant. And as we explained earlier, when the whistle sounds in the station, it’s too late: the train will be leaving in the next 15 seconds.
Scooters in hand and all’s well
Are you a fan of scooters (electric or otherwise), bicycles and hoverboards? If you use these means of soft mobility to get to your station, you should be aware that it is forbidden to use this type of vehicle inside stations, platforms and platform accesses.
Note that the CFL offer 79 bikebox stations – including around sixty near stations – where you can park your bike free of charge… and in complete safety. CFL | bikebox – secure bike hubs
At level crossings: red means stop
Pedestrians, cyclists, motorists… same rules! At level crossings, stop as soon as the red lights come on and/or the audible warning sounds near level crossings. The Highway Code fines 145 euros for any recalcitrant user and the withdrawal of two driving licence points for careless motorists who do not respect the highway code at these points where the road and rail networks meet.
Between 2015 and 2024, four people lost their lives in Luxembourg as a result of road accidents at level crossings. During the same period, no fewer than 13 accidents (which could have been fatal) took place between trains and cars/trucks/agricultural machinery.
Respect costs nothing… but it makes everyone feel better
And to make sure that the start of the new school year is as pleasant as possible, we can all help to make public transport a place where respect comes first, by making small gestures and behaving in a way that puts a smile on everyone’s face: Five signs of Respect… as simple as “1,2,3”