Media centre

Wednesday 21 Sep 2005

LEVEL CROSSING WARNING ISSUED TO FARMERS

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

Just over a year on from the collision between a train and a tractor just outside Newquay, Network Rail are raising the awareness of the presence of level crossings in the area, not only to local farmers but also their contractors working in fields adjacent to the Newquay line who may be unfamiliar with the locality. On 31 August 2004, a Wessex Trains service collided with a tractor and its trailer at Coswarth level crossing on the Newquay – Par line, causing the train to derail, destroying the level crossing equipment and damaging the tractor.  Passengers, train staff and the tractor driver all escaped with only a few minor injuries.  Andy Hancock, Network Rail’s General Manager for the West Country, said: “It was extremely fortunate that no-one was seriously hurt at Coswarth and that we were able to re-open the line within two days of the incident, the consequences could’ve been much worse. “It is imperative that all farmers are familiar with level crossings and how to use them safely, as well as ensure that their contractors are fully aware of them – all level crossings are safe if used correctly.” Farmers and their contractors should follow the basic rules:

• Read all signs and follow the instructions
• Obey the flashing red stop lights
• Stop behind the white line across the road
• Keep going if you have already crossed the white line when the amber light comes on
• Wait if a train goes by and the red lights continue to flash. This means another train will be passing soon.
• Only cross when the lights go off and barriers open
• Never zig-zag around half-barriers, they lower automatically because a train is approaching
• At crossings where there are no barriers, a train is approaching when the lights show
• If there are no lights, stop, look both ways and listen before you cross. If there is a railway telephone, always use it to contact the signal operator to make sure it is safe to cross. Inform the signal operator again when you are clear of the crossing

  Sharon Vye-Parminter, Head of Safety for Wessex Trains, commented “Wessex Trains fully support Network Rail in its call to farmers and farm workers to use railways crossings safely.  Accidents are the worse case scenario, however near-misses and breaches of safety procedures also have a huge effect on our drivers and the performance of our services; we urge everyone using a railway crossing to follow the rules laid down by Network Rail.” Ian Johnson from the National Farmers Union concluded: “Level crossing safety should be a fundamental part of a farm’s everyday awareness - particularly with the changing nature of agricultural activities that involve a greater dependency on agricultural contractors with specialist harvesting machinery and contractors moving from farm to farm to undertake harvesting.”