Media centre

Tuesday 16 Aug 2016

Level crossing awareness day at Oakham level crossing after rise in misuse

Region & Route:

| Eastern

Network Rail and the British Transport Police are holding a full week of level crossing awareness in Oakham after a huge rise in misuse.

Inspector Mark Rushin from the Britist Transport Police (BTP) and Hayley Bull, community safety manager from Network Rail will be available for interview at Oakham Level Crossing on Wednesday, 17 August at 10.30am.

BTP and Network Rail will be running a weeklong operation at Oakham Level Crossing this week to urge the public to stay safe when using the crossing. 

The call comes following an increase in offences at the crossing.

Level crossing offences recorded at Oakham (From 31^st March to 1 April)

• 2012/13 – 94
• 2013/14 - 74
• 2015/16 – 171
• 2016 /17 to date – 133

While the majority of those offences are committed by motorists, BTP officers also want to make sure pedestrians are aware of the dangers too. 

Hayley Bull, community safety manager for Network Rail, said: “The high number of incidents at Oakham is frankly frightening. There is no excuse for jumping the lights at a level crossing and the consequences of doing so could be fatal and that’s why we’re spending all week here with the British Transport Police to educate drivers about the very real dangers of taking chances at level crossings.”

Inspector Mark Rushin said: “We have seen a rise in the number of offences at Oakham crossing, people are risking their lives and we feel it’s only a matter of time until someone gets killed misusing the crossing.

“We’ll be stepping up our activity during this week to ensure we speak to as many people as possible about using crossings safely. 

“People have just got into the habit of taking risks at the crossing and are jumping red lights, and this has to stop.

Officers and Network Rail staff will be handing out leaflets during the week and a Level Crossing Mobile Safety Vehicle will also be located at the crossing.

Level Crossing Mobile Safety Vehicles are funded by Network Rail and operated by BTP officers. Each vehicle is equipped with CCTV facilities and ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) technology, and has access to the Police National Computer.

The vehicles form part of a wider effort to make people more aware of how to use level crossings safely and the dangers and consequences of misusing them.