Media centre

Tuesday 7 May 2013

Rail campaign in the West of England highlights level crossing safety

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Rail safety teams in the west of England are hosting 13 awareness events at level crossings across the region to help educate people about how to cross the railway safely and prevent accidents.

Level crossing safety in Britain is amongst the best in Europe. Despite this, nine people were killed at level crossings in the last year across the UK and 453 people were involved in a near miss, either as a pedestrian or a motorist. There were 10 collisions between vehicles and trains and a further 33 vehicles struck and damaged barriers.

In the Western region, three people were killed at level crossings last year and 11 people were involved in a near miss, either as a pedestrian or a motorist. There were five collisions between vehicles and trains and one vehicle struck and damaged a barrier.

These new figures have been published today by Network Rail, one of 45 worldwide organisations supporting International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) on 7 May 2013.

Liz Heading, Network Rail’s Western region community safety manager, said: “Where a road or footpath meets the railway there will always be a risk – tragically, for a few people every year, this results in injury or loss of life. We want to reduce the chances of this happening as much as possible. The surest way to reduce risk at a level crossing is to close it and under our current safety programme we have successfully closed more than 600 in the last three years.

“If we’re not able to close a crossing, we want to raise awareness of how to use crossings safely and the risks associated with getting distracted or ignoring warning signs.

“That’s why our safety teams are out across the country as part of International Level Crossing Awareness Day to talk to people who use the crossings, listen to any questions they may have and help them better understand what we’re doing to improve safety for them and everyone around the railway.”

In the west of England, Network Rail has joined forces with the British Transport Police and train operator First Great Western to highlight the railway level crossing safety campaign with four days of events at crossings throughout the region.

They will take the mobile enforcement vehicle to level crossings during the week at Alstone, Cheltenham, and Horton Road, Gloucester, on Wednesday 8 May; at Horton Road, Gloucester, and Old Ends Lane, Stonehouse, on Thursday 9 May; and Old Ends Lane, Stonehouse and Alstone, Cheltenham, on Friday 10 May.

In addition, they will be attending crossings with pull-up banners and leaflets at Hele & Bradninch, near Exeter, on 7 May; Kays footpath crossing in Worcestershire and Penleigh Park, Westbury, Wiltshire, on 8 May; Littleton & Badsey near Evesham on 9 May; and Red Cow level crossing in Exeter; Hayle, Cornwall, and Holmbush footpath crossing, St Austell, Cornwall, on 10 May.

Network Rail is investing £130m to make level crossings safer by building footbridges, adding new barriers and new technology. In 2009 the company committed to closing 750 by spring 2014 and is well on the way to achieving that goal with 700 already closed. A national television advertising campaign, based around the childhood game I Spy, will run from Sunday 5 May for three weeks across terrestrial and satellite channels.

In addition, Network Rail has just recruited 100 new level crossing managers across the UK, of whom nine will be located in the Western region.

 

Chief Inspector Paul Richards, South West Sector Commander, BTP, said: “It is incredible that, despite some highly publicised incidents, some people are still putting their lives on the line by ignoring warning lights and sirens. This is hugely irresponsible and dangerous.

“Most accidents are as a result of impatience; not being prepared to wait and trying to beat the train. For the sake of 60 seconds, a little patience can prevent lives being ruined.

“The key thing for us is not prosecution, but prevention and education. We want to change the behaviour of motorists and pedestrians who misuse crossings. The level crossing camera van acts as an effective deterrent. People that might otherwise be tempted to dart across after lights and klaxons have begun, or even swerve around the barriers, think twice when they see the van.

“These mobile enforcement vehicles are a fantastic resource for officers in deterring, as well as detecting, motorists who continue to flout the law and misuse level crossings. Ideally, we don’t want to catch anyone breaking the law at a level crossing. The message is simple - risking your own life and the lives of others to save what may be only a few seconds is just not worth it.”

Julian Crow, First Great Western Regional Manager for the West of England, said: “We welcome this Network Rail initiative to further improve safety on our railways and to promote the safe use of railway level crossings."