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Friday 24 May 2024

Safety warning to stop level crossing misuse in the West Midlands

Region & Route:

North West & Central

| North West & Central: Central

People across the West Midlands are being urged to use level crossings correctly after a near miss close to a Black Country station.

Footage released by Network Rail shows the moment a man deliberately climbs over closed level crossing barriers and casually walks across the tracks with seconds to spare before a train passes through.

The near miss happened on Station Road in Langley Green where there has been a recent increase in the number of incidents of people choosing to deliberately misuse the busy level crossing, risking their lives to save a few minutes of time.

Network Rail has released the video of the near miss on Station Road crossing, near Langley Green station, as a safety warning and is urging local people to only ever cross when the barriers are up and the warning alarms aren’t sounding.

The incident, which took place on 27 April 2024, is one example of misuse captured at this crossing and others across the West Midlands.

Since January of this year, there have been 74 reported instances of level crossing misuse across the West Midlands region, with eight recorded at Langley Green.

Natalie Stretton, head of operational risk for Network Rail’s Central route, said: “This footage at Langley Green is extremely disappointing and concerning. Moments later and this could have led to tragedy, which doesn’t bear thinking about for the sake of a few minutes.

“Despite the clear and obvious dangers of not using level crossings correctly, and all the work we do to educate people about how to use them, it seems people still want to risk their lives. I can’t stress enough the importance of following the rules to help keep everyone safe.”

Network Rail will be delivering safety leaflets to residents around Langley Green as well as continuing to run awareness days across the region as part of an ongoing safety push regarding level crossings.

To use level crossings safely, people should:

• Concentrate – it’s easy to get distracted, especially by phones, music and conversation.
• Always follow signs and instructions displayed at level crossings.
• Check both ways before crossing – if there is a train coming, don’t cross.
• Understand the warnings which alert when a train approaching (lights, barriers, alarms)
• Cross quickly, keeping children close and dogs on a lead.

This warning comes as Network Rail launches a new ‘You’ve crossed the line’ safety campaign, which aims to make footpath level crossing users more aware of their surroundings and the potential dangers. For more information about the campaign and for further advice on level crossing safety visit www.networkrail.co.uk/distracted