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Friday 18 Mar 2016

Crewe level crossing users putting lives at risk by leaving railway gates open

Region & Route:

| North West & Central

Network Rail is warning users of Barthomley level crossing, Cheshire, to stop putting lives at risk by leaving the crossing gates open onto the busy Crewe to Kidsgrove railway line which sees an average of four trains per hour.

In the past 12 months there have had been 38 reports of the gates being left open at the crossing by users in vehicles and on horseback. This could lead to children and animals wandering onto the track and potentially being harmed.

Passengers are also being disrupted as train drivers are stopping at the crossing to close the gates helping keep the community and crossing users safe.

The crossing has gates which have to be manually opened and closed and has warning lights on each side. It provides a popular route between Radway Green and Barthomley.

Lucy Chadderton, level crossing manager for Network Rail, said: “We have received a number of recent reports of the crossing gates being left open. Any user of this level crossing has a responsibility to ensure it is always used in the correct manner.

“We’re investing more than £100m to improve level crossing safety across Britain, but we need motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to do their bit too. By paying attention to the warnings at level crossings and avoiding distractions we can all help keep everyone safe when crossing the railway.”

For more information about level crossings or for anyone with additional questions or concerns, visit www.networkrail.co.uk or call our 24 hour national helpline on 03457 11 41 41.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Network Rail is investing £100m into its programme to improve level crossing safety as part of its Railway Upgrade Plan. Since 2010 it has:

• Employed more than 100 dedicated level crossing managers
• Closed over 990 level crossings
• Replaced footpath crossings with footbridges
• Installing warning lights as an additional safety measure at footpath crossings
• Launched a new schools programme – Rail Life – teaching both primary and secondary school children about how to stay safe when crossing the railway
• Rolled out safety camera enforcement vans in partnership with BTP
• Invested in new technology such as the obstacle detection radar
• Introduced power operated gate openers
• Installed spoken warnings to announce if another train is coming after one train has passed through