Prepared by the Mirello Rail team · Developer coordination guidance
Four metres from what?
The CPA’s November 2025 guide calls for ASPRO consultation where a crane and its load have a compound collapse radius within 4 m of a railway asset or property boundary. This considers potential collapse reach, rather than the machine’s parking position alone.
A crane standing more than 4 m from the fence can still create a railway interface. The competent lifting team needs to establish the relevant geometry and configuration.
What should the developer ask for?
Start by asking the contractor and lifting specialists to identify the proposal they intend to assess. A shared, current information set makes the railway discussion more productive.
- A site plan showing the proposed crane position and railway boundary.
- The intended crane type and configuration.
- The proposed loads and lifting activities.
- The contractor’s intended sequence and target dates.
- The specialist assessment of the railway interface.
Consider the full crane lifecycle
The CPA guidance covers more than the main lifting activity: rigging, use, maintenance and de-rigging can present railway risks. Tower-crane out-of-service arrangements also need consideration.
As a developer, ask your team to identify which stages are included in the proposal and who is responsible for each input. Avoid allowing different parties to work from different versions of the site layout or crane configuration.
A practical way to organise the discussion
- Define the proposal. Record the current layout, plant and intended activities.
- Identify the information owners. Agree what the lifting team, temporary works designers and contractor will provide.
- Coordinate the railway interface. Bring the specialist inputs together for the required discussions and submissions.
- Track responses. Maintain one clear record of comments, decisions and outstanding actions.
- Manage changes. Route revised plant, layouts and methods back through the appropriate team members.
How Mirello can help
Mirello supports the developer in organising this interface: coordinating specialist inputs, liaising with ASPRO and tracking the submission process. Lifting plans and specialist designs remain with the parties appointed to prepare them.
Explore our crane interface support or prepare a project enquiry.
Reference: CPA CIG/TCIG 2503, Cranes Alongside Railways, November 2025. Reviewed 15 October 2026. Project recommendations on this page are Mirello’s suggested coordination approach. This overview does not replace project-specific engineering assessment, current standards or Network Rail acceptance.