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Tuesday 3 Jun 2014

East Midlands professional road users targeted in new level crossing safety programme

Region & Route:

Network Rail has launched a nationwide awareness programme targeting motorists who drive for a living, on the same day 45 countries join forces to raise awareness of safety at level crossings.

This includes events at level crossings in the East Midlands on Tuesday, 3 June.

Aimed at reducing the number of incidents at level crossings involving these “professional drivers” the programme will educate them on the safe use of level crossings.

Level crossings in Britain are among the safest in Europe but almost a fifth of the 142 near-misses that occurred at level crossings in 2013 included a vehicle driven in a professional capacity – such as a lorry, van, bus or taxi - putting the life of the driver as well as others at risk.

The “most important stop of the day” programme involves Network Rail’s 100 level crossing managers, who are based all over the nation, engaging with local employers whose workforce includes a significant number of drivers.

The programme launch coincides with ILCAD – International Level Crossing Awareness Day – a global initiative supported by 45 countries to raise public awareness on the safety factors and dangers posed by misuse at level crossings. This year, ILCAD is held on Tuesday, 3 June and is also targeting professional drivers.

To mark ILCAD, there are events taking place in the East Midlands on 3 June, including near the West Street Crossing, in Boston (PE21 8QN – PC World car park), where the day kicks-off at 9am. The British Transport Police’s Safety Camera Van and Network Rail’s Incident Control Van will be there to show people video clips and pictures of people misusing level crossings. The team, which includes local train companies and police force, will be giving away goodies, and talking to local people about safety at level crossings.

Other events in the East Midlands, which will run between 7:30am and 12:30pm, are at:

• Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent (ST11 9SS)
• Carlton, Nottinghamshire (NG4 2PG)
• Narborough, Leicestershire (LE19 2HR)

Liz Reedy, community safety manager at Network Rail, said: “The plan is to go to our most heavily used crossings with staff and volunteers who will speak with motorists and pedestrians about of the importance of level crossing safety.

“The crossings we have chosen are used a lot by heavy haulage vehicles, and are close to large businesses and industrial units, so we plan to visit as many of these businesses on the day to help get the message out.”

At each of the events, there will be giveaways and a host of experts to speak about safety at level crossings.

This year there has already been successful prosecution drivers for careless or dangerous driving at level crossings. For example, in Bugle, Cornwall a delivery van driver was prosecuted, resulting in a fine as well as incurring costs and penalty points on his licence. The driver was also suspended from his job pending the outcome of an internal investigation. In Rossington, Doncaster, a driver found guilty of dangerous driving lost his licence for 12 months and will need to take an extended test in order to get his licence back. The message is clear: for a professional driver, a prosecution for the misuse of a level crossing could have a devastating effect on his/her career.