interesting accessibility question

[Steve]

Today I wrote an email to Doncaster Council regarding the lights in the tunnels under the newly constructed Frenchgate Interchange. The problem is that they never seem to work properly. They are supposed to monitor external light levels and equal the light in the tunnel - theres about 5 lighting circuits along both walls of both tunnels, which are turned on and off as appropriate according to external light levels. However, I drive through at night sometimes and they are running full belt, and during the day and its pitch black. Today, one tunnel was dark and the other was full brightness. So I thought i'd queeze some answers out of them!

One of the engineers from DMBC replied to my query.

In regard to your comment on the tunnel lighting, the 'bright summer day' level in the southbound bore resulted from isolating power to a distribution board in the tunnel from which the CCTV cameras are fed from. This 'sledgehammer to crack a nut approach' was employed as the distribution board cannot be accessed while traffic is running in the tunnel. It was understood that the light detector (photometer) would reset the light circuits after period of time possible 24-36 hours (a couple of ON -OFF cycles), but, as you point out this hasn't happened.
This will be investigated early next week and hopefully restored to normal operation

OK, so are the distribution boards IN the tunnels classed as accessible? I know where he means - about halfway along one wall there is a bunch of panels recessed into the walls. So they had to isolate this elsewhere, instead of isolating the individual circuits fed from this board. The "pavement" in the tunnel is only about a foot wide, so this is understandable that nobody wants to venture into the tunnel!

So why oh why did they put it here?? There's a shopping mall above, why couldn't they build a cupboard up there alongside or behind a shop? There's a bus station alongside this tunnel, why couldnt they put it in there? There's some delivery bays for shops alongside the opposite tunnel . . . I could go on! Honestly, Doncaster council. Is it any wonder you're a laughing stock????

And why does it take 2 cycles to reset the lighting system? One would think such a safety critical application would reset itself straight away. And since is seems they have to isolate this DB every few days, the lights never work properly!

edited to correct "letter" to "email"

 

[bernardgreen]

Basically it comes down to one flaw in the design process.

The designers never have to work on the system / equipment / installation they design.

If designers were required to also install, commission and then service their design for a year the next thing they designed would be a heck of a lot more user friendly.

Bernard a designer who DID install commission and service his own designs.

Sharnbrook..

 

[IJWS15]

This is a classid CDM failure - the system HAS NOT been designed to be maintained safely.

Planning Supervisor should be fired.

 

[supersparky]

if i buy you a life will you use it

 

[Pensdown]

If designers were required to also install, commission and then service their design for a year the next thing they designed would be a heck of a lot more user friendly.

Bernard a designer who DID install commission and service his own designs.

Sharnbrook..

If only it was that simple.

The Frenchgate Interchange would have been a CDM project so a design risk assessment would have been done. Part of the design risk assessment process would have included future safe maintenance of the installation.

However, this project was probably funded by the Highways Agency or another Government department so if relocating the DB’s to a more suitable location had cost implications they would have been ignored.

 

[Steve]

Frenchgate got money thrown at it from all sorts of places, and it was partly funded by the EU under their Objective1, which highlighted South Yorkshire as one of the poorest places in Europe.

http://www.frenchgateinterchange.co.uk/

Here's a picture of one of the stupidly-located DBs
http://www.frenchgateinterchange.co.uk/photos052005b.htm
(Though picture its now a busy 2-lane carriageway with a bit of a concrete verge either side, and theres a LOT more lights)

During building:
http://www.frenchgateinterchange.co.uk/photos022005a.htm
See the recess in the concrete wall.

Still, cant complain! see the pictures of our new bus station! And the car park - its immaculate!

 

[plugwash]

unfortunately until a f*ckup like this kills someone the powers that be tend to ignore it. Sad but true.

 

[dingbat]

Basically it comes down to one flaw in the design process.

The designers never have to work on the system / equipment / installation they design.

Exactly.

And this same flaw appears to apply universally to lighting, shower units and any form of consumer electrical equipment that doesn't simply plug into a socket-outlet.