Media centre

Thursday 16 Apr 2015

Level crossing awareness day at Haxby Road, York

Region & Route:

An awareness day will take place in York in a bid to educate more people on how to use level crossings safely and the dangers of misusing level crossings or taking risks.

Teams from Network Rail and the British Transport Police will be at Haxby Road level crossing to the north of the city on Wednesday 22 April to talk to motorists, pedestrians and residents about the importance of obeying the level crossing signals.

The crossing at Haxby Road has seen a staggering 25 incidents involving vehicles in the last 12 months alone, prompting this day of action in an attempt to raise awareness of just how perilous taking a chance at a level crossing can be.

Network Rail’s dedicated community safety team and the BTP will also be using a Mobile Safety Van  throughout the day to identify any drivers who misuse the crossing, as well as handing out leaflets and chatting to drivers when the barriers are down and the traffic is at a standstill.

Vicki Beadle, community safety manager for Network Rail, said: “It can be frustrating having to wait at level crossings but they are there for everyone’s safety and are activated for the shortest amount of time to protect drivers from one of the busiest rail networks in the world. As well as the obvious risk of injury or worse, misusing crossings can delay trains and traffic and can lead to prosecution, a fine, penalty points or disqualification.”

“The level crossing at Haxby Road has seen on average one incident every two weeks for the last year which is extremely concerning and that is why we’ll be spending the day reiterating to people who use the crossing how important it is to stop when the lights start to flash and not to take a risk.”

Inspector Richard Price from BTP said:  “The main focus of this awareness day is education.

“We need drivers and pedestrians to realise level crossing misuse is a danger, not only to their safety, but the safety of others.

“Incredibly, some people are still putting their lives on the line at Haxby Road crossing by ignoring warning lights and sirens and trying to dash through when trains are approaching. This is hugely irresponsible and dangerous and BTP officers will be working closely with Network Rail staff throughout the day to change people’s attitudes and perceptions about the crossing.

“It is important people also realise there is a serious penalty to pay for misusing crossings and we will not hesitate to take action against anyone caught doing so.”

The teams will be at the crossing from as early as 7.30am to speak to children making their way to school and will be there until 4.30pm.

 

Notes to editors

There are approximately 6,100 level crossings in Britain. Level crossings were built with the Victorian railway more than 100 years ago when there were far fewer trains, at slower speeds and fewer people and road traffic. If you were building the railway now, you wouldn’t put in any level crossings.

There are many different types of crossings, all with different safety measures in place from signs, to barriers and klaxons. See http://www.networkrail.co.uk/level-crossings/types-of-level-crossing/.

Network Rail is investing £100m in the next couple of years to reduce risk at level crossings and improve safety. The ongoing programme of activity includes:

- Network Rail’s dedicated community safety team which aims to reduce railway crime

- Level crossing closure programme which has seen more than 900 closed over the past five years

- Investment in upgrading and improving level crossings

- Mobile camera enforcement vans

- - Developing better and cost-effective ways of detecting and recording level crossings misuse