Media centre

Friday 14 Oct 2016

Lights warning system will improve safety at three level crossings in the region

Region & Route:

| Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

| Southern

A system which will make the railway safer for level crossing users is to be rolled out to three level crossings across Anglia from today (Friday 14 October) as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan.

Red and green lights will be installed at three crossings where no warning system or automatic barrier is in place. These are usually where users need to stop, look and listen before crossing, or where they need to phone the signaller to allow them to cross.

The light will be green when the crossing is clear and red when a train is approaching, to help people to understand when it is safe to cross.

The system will be installed at crossings in Thetford, Lakenheath, and at Hockham Road in Roundham, where a tractor was hit by a train earlier in the year. Trains pass these crossings at up to 90mph.

The system doesn’t need to be integrated with the railway’s existing signalling infrastructure, meaning the lights can be installed easily to quickly improve the safety of level crossings that currently have no warning systems.

Richard Schofield, Network Rail’s route managing director for Anglia, said: “Keeping people safe at level crossings is a priority. This system can be installed quickly and make crossing the railway much safer at these locations.”

Initially, the system will be installed at a number of high risk footpath, bridleway and private road level crossings. 

Notes to Editors

The new system will be installed at:

• Hockham Road, Roundham, private user worked
• Crown Commissioners, Thetford, private user worked
• Pools No.2, Lakenheath, private user worked

The new traffic light style lighting system was installed at Hockham, Pools No.2 and Crown Commissioners level crossings previously. However, following installation they were de-commissioned so that the system could be upgraded. This has now been completed and will provide a higher level of safety assurance as part of the new installation.