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Tuesday 21 Jan 2014

115 level crossings closed in the West Midlands and north west as part of national closure programme

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A total of 115 level crossings in the West Midlands and north west have closed since 2010 as part of a national programme to make the railway safer.

The crossings have all closed since 2010 when Network Rail announced it was to close 10 per cent - or 750 - of Britain’s level crossings by April 2014.

The majority that have closed are footpath or user worked crossings, which are often on private land and farms and cross busy main line railways.

Dyan Crowther, Network Rail’s route managing director, said: “The railway in the West Midlands and north west is safer than ever before but there will always be a certain level of risk to motorists or pedestrians where a road, footpath or cycleway crosses the tracks.

“Network Rail is committed to reduce that risk as much as possible and if we are able to close a level crossing, we will.

"Closing 115 level crossings in the West Midlands and north west, as part of a wider national programme which has seen 750 closed in four years, is good news for Network Rail, train operators and of course the public, but we cannot be complacent.

“There is much more we can do to make the level crossings that remain safer and we will continue to introduce new technology, upgrade crossings to include lights or barriers where appropriate and work with schools, communities and other organisations to spread awareness of our safety message.

"We will continue to close level crossings across the north west and West Midlands but this isn’t always a straightforward process, so we will need the support from local authorities, landowners and the public to help us achieve our new target and improve safety further still."

The 750th level crossing to close took place on the East Coast main line in Cambridgeshire earlier this month. As part of the programme, there have been some significant closures in the West Midlands and north west which have contributed to the figure.

In July 2013 Network Rail closed Moors Gorse level crossing in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire. Prior to the closure of Moors Gorse, cyclists and walkers had to negotiate two sets of gates to cross the busy Cannock railway line, where trains travel at up to 50mph. It has now been replaced with a bridge which can manage the safe passage of up to 3,000 cyclists a day who use the trail in Cannock Chase.

Rylands level crossing in Chorley was closed in October 2011. The crossing had a high level of use and Network Rail worked closely with Chorley Borough Council and Lancashire County Council to close it and replace it with a footbridge.

Since 2010, Network Rail has invested £131m in its national level crossings improvement programme. As well as level crossing closures, it has improved safety at many existing crossings using new technology and equipment to make users more aware of how to safely use level crossings.

A total of 100 new level crossing managers have been appointed to help improve safety at level crossings and to educate people about to safely use them.

A national TV and digital advertising campaign - See Track, Think Train - has also been rolled out and the Rail Life schools awareness campaign launched (www.rail-life.co.uk).

Network Rail has pledged to close a further 500 crossings in the next five years, investing a further £100m as part of its ongoing programme of work to improve safety and reduce risk to passengers and the public.

Network Rail is working with Stafford Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council to install a new footbridge at Whitebridge Lane, Stone, on the West Coast main line. This will remove the risk of crossing the railway at this busy location.

A further footpath level crossing at Brock, Claughton near Preston is due to be closed thanks to the close working between Network Rail, Lancashire County Council, Wyre Borough Council and Myerscough and Bilsborrow Parish Council

Planning permission has been granted to build a bridge on the site of the level crossing which crosses the West Coast main line and is due to open in spring 2014.