Media centre

Wednesday 19 Apr 2017

New gates in place to improve safety at Suffolk level crossing

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

New gates have been installed at a pedestrian level crossing at Halesworth station, Suffolk to make the crossing safer as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan.

In order to encourage safe use of the crossing, fencing and gates have been installed at the end of the station platforms. These act as a barrier between pedestrians and the railway, and provide a timely reminder to people to stop, look and listen for trains before they cross.

A sign attached to the gates provides advice about how to use the crossing safely:

• Only use the crossing if you are a station user. It is not a public right of way.
• Cross only if there are no trains in either platform and check no trains are approaching.
• Get off your bike before crossing and stick to the crossing and off the track.
• Always keep moving. Don’t stop on the crossing.

Textured flooring has been installed so that people with impaired vision understand where the edge of the platform is and new signs and painted lines show where the decision to cross can be made safely. Anti-trespass guards have also been installed at the side of the crossing pathway, to stop people from accessing the tracks.

Early last year, proposals were presented at a public meeting to close the crossing completely, owing to significant safety concerns. There have been instances of people walking off the platform onto the tracks and crossing when trains are in the station, which can block people’s view of the adjacent track, and even people attempting to cross when trains are approaching the crossing. Following feedback from regular users, it was decided that putting a gate in place would improve safety at the crossing without having to close it.

With the gates in place, Network Rail will continue to monitor crossing safety and will review the situation later in the year.

Richard Schofield, Network Rail’s route managing director for Anglia, said: “We have installed these gates to encourage people to cross at Halesworth station safely. Those who need to use the crossing should check that no trains are coming and that no trains are stopped in the station before making their way across. We are committed to improving safety at level crossings as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan and we will continue to monitor the safety of the level crossing at Halesworth station as part of these ongoing commitments.”