Consider including regulations on vehicle lifespan in the Railway Law.

These proposals were put forward by experts from DT Global Australia Pty Ltd - the Project Management Unit (PMC) of the project "Best International Practices to Support the Vietnam Railway Authority in Drafting the Revised Railway Law 2017," funded by the Australian Government .

Specifically, these experts recommend that regarding the lifespan of railway vehicles, the Railway Law should be reviewed and amended in the following direction: The law should not stipulate a lifespan for railway vehicles, but only require an assessment of the condition and suitability of the vehicles.

The vehicle owner, who is responsible for the safety of the railway vehicle when put into use, is responsible for determining the service life of their vehicle based on its technical condition, safety, and suitability.

The law also identifies the focal unit responsible for inspecting and assessing the condition and conformity of railway vehicles upon the expiration of their service life.

Experts propose not to specify a vehicle lifespan limit in the amended Railway Law (Photo: internet).

In addition, PMC experts recommend reviewing, amending, and developing detailed guidelines on the lifespan of railway vehicles used for safety management planning; investment plans for upgrading and periodic evaluation to ensure vehicle safety.

Explaining these proposals, PMC experts argue that the regulations in the Railway Law regarding the lifespan of railway vehicles are not in line with actual operation and vehicle conversion plans under the action plan on emission reduction in the transport sector.

In fact, when applied in Vietnam, a significant number of railway vehicles that have reached the end of their service life are still in good working condition and safe to use. During operation, businesses regularly replace spare parts and conduct periodic inspections.

On the other hand, according to the green transformation goals, by 2050, the railway industry will convert 100% of its locomotives and railway carriages to use electricity and green energy. To meet this goal, the current railway vehicles on the national railway system will have to be completely replaced.

"According to statistics, the number of locomotives and carriages reaching the end of their service life by 2035 is 140 locomotives, 275 passenger carriages, and 2081 freight carriages. The current regulations on service life may create difficulties for transport businesses in investing in replacing vehicles," a PMC expert commented, citing international experience in managing railway vehicle safety.

For example, Hong Kong, South Korea, France, and Japan all use a Safety Management System (SMS) process to determine the frequency of inspections and the lifespan of vehicles.

Accordingly, the method will be changed from managing fixed assets based on their lifespan to a Safety Management System (SMS)-based management method. This system assesses safety risks when continuing to operate a vehicle, based on evaluating the vehicle's current condition and its future usability.

SMS comprises technical procedures and standards used by railway operators as a benchmark for risk assessment. This is achieved by gathering information on previous failures or indications of potential future failures in vehicle components such as wheels, brakes, springs, or couplings.

Data on vehicle condition is collected from records kept at the repair shop or from automatic wear sensors, used to assess the vehicle's compliance with technical standards... This determines whether the vehicle may still be fit for use, except for certain parts that may need replacing. Alternatively, continuous monitoring of the vehicle's condition may determine if the entire vehicle needs replacing instead of continuing repairs.

The railway operator's SMS is sent to an independent safety management agency for evaluation and review of these plans for railway vehicles.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/can-nhac-quy-dinh-nien-han-phuong-tien-trong-luat-duong-sat-192240527211707011.htm