Media centre

Tuesday 21 Jan 2014

Level crossing closure programme hits target on East Coast Main Line

Region & Route:

The closure of Cardells level crossing on the East Coast Main Line means Network Rail has now reached its target of closing 10% of Britain’s crossings by April 2014. The target was set in 210 and has resulted in the closure of 750 crossings.

The LNE & EM Route, which manages the East Coast and Midland Main Lines and connecting routes, has closed 231 of the total.

The majority of crossings closed are, like Cardells crossing which is in St Neots, footpath or user worked crossings (on private land and largely used by land owner, farmers, delivery and utility vehicles but run across main line railway).

Station footpath crossings have also been targeted for closure in order to prevent passengers from walking into the path of trains between platforms. New bridges have replaced such crossings at Thrislington, Bolton on Dearne, Moorthorpe, Woodlesford, Normanton, Thorne South and Uttoxeter station. South Milford station crossing was closed in September and pedestrians now use an existing subway.

Phil Verster, Route Managing Director, said: “Our focus on level crossings means that our railway is safer than ever before. The closure of the 750^th crossing is a significant milestone but there is more work to be done. The LNE & EM route still has 2,199 level crossings.

“Where motorists or pedestrians cross the railway on the level there is a risk to users. My team and I are committed to reducing that risk to the minimum possible. We will continue our focus both on our infrastructure and our work with schools, communities and other organisations to spread awareness of our safety message.

"Successfully closing a crossing isn't always a straightforward process. I thank our local authorities, landowners and the public for the help they have given us to meet this target and ask for their support as we look to continue the closure programme and improve safety further still."

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

Since 2010 the company has invested £131m in a national level crossings improvement programme. By the end of March 2014 this will result in:

- 38 footbridges to replace crossings, 18 of which are on the LNE & EM route
- 57 new spoken warnings installed to announce "another train is coming" when one train has already passed through, 33 of which are on the LNE & EM Route
- Obstacle detection radar technology installed at 13 sites, including in Lincolnshire, Selby and Doncaster
- 250 power operated gate openers installed to prevent vehicle owners crossing the tracks on foot unnecessarily or gates being left open
- ‘Wavetrain’ sound vibration technology trialled at Whitehouse Priory View crossing in Norfolk

- GPS technology installed on the Marks Tey – Sudbury line allowing signallers to pinpoint a train's location and provide better safety information to those requesting permission to cross
- 21 crossings fitted with red light safety cameras to dissuade motorists from jumping the lights.
- 13 mobile safety camera enforcement vans operated by British Transport Police
- 100 new Network Rail level crossing managers, 24 of whom work on the LNE & EM Route
- National TV and digital advertising campaign – See Track, Think Train
- Rail Life schools awareness campaign www.rail-life.co.uk

In 2013, there were 10 accidental fatalities at level crossings and 10 collisions between trains and road vehicles.

The closure of 750 crossings has contributed to a reduction in the overall risk level crossings pose to the network by 25%.