OLD CHAPEL LEVEL CROSSING CLOSES

Thursday 19 Oct 2006

OLD CHAPEL LEVEL CROSSING CLOSES

Region & Route:: | Wales & Western: Wales & Borders; | Wales & Western

Old Chapel level crossing in Dolfach has been taken out of operation permanently and replaced with a road bridge, as part of a scheme that has also seen the closure of two other crossings on the Cambrian line. The closure concludes a scheme undertaken by Network Rail, the Welsh Assembly Government and Powys County Council to close three level crossings on the Cambrian line following a history of incidents and abuse by users. The scheme resulted in the closure of Llanbrynmair in April 2005 and Cilgwrgan, near Newtown, in September 2005. Mark Langman, Network Rail’s General Manager for Wales & the Marches, said: “Level crossing misuse now represents the largest single risk of train accident on the railway. Over the years, the use of these particular crossings has increased to the point where safety had become an issue. Together with the Welsh Assembly and local council, £3.2 million has been invested to prevent future abuse at these locations. “We launched our ‘Don’t run the risk’ campaign earlier this year to highlight the dangers of level crossing misuse across the UK. The message to drivers and pedestrians is simple - level crossings are safe if used correctly, but if you run the risk the cost can be fatal.” Together with Powys County Council, as the highways agency, Network Rail has constructed a road bridge to provide an alternative route for users at Old Chapel. Cllr Gwilym Evans, Powys County Council's board member with portfolio responsibility for Transportation and Environmental Services, said: "This is a fine example of what a partnership can achieve to ensure the safety of road users and rail passengers. "We have taken the lead consulting with local communities and designing the new roads and bridges so that the level crossings can be closed. This represents a major improvement to road safety for the benefit of the local communities."

Notes to editors

Network Rail has invested £1.5 million to the close the three level crossings, with the Welsh Assembly Government and Powys County Council collectively providing £1.7 million. ‘Don’t run the risk’ is a £3 million campaign featuring extensive nationwide and local advertising including spots on television and radio with more than one million households targeted to receive information leaflets. The hard-hitting advertisements are an element of the most extensive public safety campaign ever run by the rail industry.

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