I wonder

[KARL]

if anyone can answer the question I was asked recently: Why are there wooden slats across tram tracks where pedestrians are to cross ? The example cited was in England. There are no trams where I live and I have no personal experience of tram infrastructure in the UK. I could not think of any rational reason for this because well draining hard surfaces (asphalt, concrete) would eliminate standing water faster than wood which absorbs it (risks associated with electricity and/or slipping). Additionally, modern marking systems are far more effective than whatever distinction can be made using wood. When I thought about it, I cannot ever remember seeing wooden crossings in Europe, where as a traveller I have seen several tram systems. Is the UK practice simply yet another case of 'it's always been done that way' or is there a well justified reason ?

[craft1948]

there are trams in Sheffield..maybe these people can help you...
http://www.supertram.com/

[Huderon]

Possibly to stop people tripping over the rails ?

I our area, where the ram runs on roads the rails are set into the road surface, so do not stand proud of them. Where the tram uses a former rail line and people have to cross from one platform to the other there is something to raise the pedestrian bit to the level of the rails. Can't recall whether it's wood slats or concrete though.

The tram service round here gets it's electricity from overhead wires, and the only other tram services I have used (or seen) also use overhead wires to supply the power. I'd guess this is done to stop people from frying themselves on live rails at ground level, but that might be optimism on my part.

[what..the?]

erm ...I have no experience of trams but....

does it allow for the wood to be taken up and moved easily if there was a need for this, i.e if they decided to reroute the line, change a tram stop location, or a crossing became unsafe and they wanted it moved they would just take up the wood and move it and not have to chip away at some concrete. Of course they could leave concrete crossings and just make another in the second (new) location but by leaving it there your not discouraging people from using it, which might be a problem esp if it dangerous.