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A car has been hit by a train on a level crossing in Berkshire, police have said.

Thames Valley Police officers are at the scene of the incident in Waterloo Road, Wokingham.

No-one on the train is believed to have been injured although there is at least one casualty in the car but their condition is not yet known.

Both level crossings in the town are closed and buses are currently replacing train services.

Driver dies in level crossing crash in Wokingham

A car driver died when the vehicle was hit by a train on a level crossing.
None of the 150 passengers or the train driver were injured in the crash at the crossing in Waterloo Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, at about 1100 GMT.
The car driver was pronounced dead at the scene. His death is not being treated as suspicious.
Both crossings in the town have been shut and there is disruption to services between Ascot and Reading, British Transport Police said.
It comes almost two years after a woman died when she was hit by a train on the same crossing. The death was not treated as suspicious.
Buses are currently replacing train services in the area.

Wokingham level crossing safety fears

Residents are expected to raise safety concerns at a meeting with councillors after a driver died when his car was hit by a train on a level crossing.
None of the 150 passengers or the train driver were injured in the crash at the crossing in Waterloo Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, on Saturday morning.
A meeting over housing is scheduled for Monday but residents are now likely to also raise concerns about the crossing.
A woman died when she was hit by a train at the same spot in 2008.
Both recent deaths at the crossing are not being treated as suspicious.
Councillor Angus Ross, from Wokingham Borough Council, said: "I'm sure as a result of this we will be working with Network Rail, which is responsible for the track, to see if anything can be done. The trouble is it is something very hard to ever stop completely. We already had a meeting arranged with residents so I'm sure this will also be discussed."
The area is in line for a major housing development which, if approved, would see the crossing removed and a bridge built in its place.

If it's the one right outside the station, I don't think residents have a lot of choice but to use it, whether they are "concerned" or not. It separates the majority of Wokingham's residents from the town centre.

Is this one of those crossings where the barrier only covers half the road (or does it cover both directions?)

It's a fairly quiet road on the outskirts of Wokingham which could fairly easily be diverted around.  Another to add to the long list of AHB barrier incidents though...

The waterloo road crossing is I think the one after the waterloo line splits from the gatwick line.

The problem with it, and I see it every morning on my bike, is that traffic going INTO wokingham ends up queuing on the crossing.  There are usually parked cars restricting road width and the is a popular left  turn and right turn not long after the crossing.  Have often wondered why no one gets trapped between the barriers when they queue sitting ON the crossing

Level crossings
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A level crossing is where a road crosses a railway or tramway line. Approach and cross it with care. Never drive onto a crossing until the road is clear on the other side and do not get too close to the car in front. Never stop or park on, or near, a crossing.

The waterloo road crossing is I think the one after the waterloo line splits from the gatwick line.

The problem with it, and I see it every morning on my bike, is that traffic going INTO wokingham ends up queuing on the crossing.  There are usually parked cars restricting road width and the is a popular left  turn and right turn not long after the crossing.  Have often wondered why no one gets trapped between the barriers when they queue sitting ON the crossing

It is NOT a quiet road!  It used as a rat run for people coming up from camberley and that direction to avoid bracknell and the queues on the 322

I stand corrected - I didnt realise there was a third - since someone on this thread referred to the two crossings in the town.

And I knew of the station and the easthamsptead road one!

From the Highway Code (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069864):


Was going to say, what sort of halfwit drives onto a level crossing, it's the same as a box junction only actually dangerous rather than just a nuisance!

:-X

Was going to say, what sort of halfwit drives onto a level crossing, it's the same as a box junction only actually dangerous rather than just a nuisance!

You'll be surprised at just how many do it on the Easthamstead road one!

Well said, devon_metro - I'm pleased to see that some common sense still applies!  ;)


No ... I'm appalled at how many do it ...  ::)

Ollie has summed it up admirably: there is clearly a case for reviewing the viability of such level crossings, if road users can't be trusted to use their common sense.   :-X

Wokingham level crossing death 'not suspicious'

The death of driver killed when his car was hit by a train on a level crossing in Berkshire, is not being treated as suspicious by police.
None of the 150 passengers or the train driver were injured in the crash at the crossing in Waterloo Road, Wokingham, on Saturday morning.
British Transport Police believe the dead man was 58 and from Bracknell.
A spokesman said there was significant disruption between Ascot and Reading as a result of the incident.
He added that about 120 passengers were transferred from the eight-carriage train to coaches.

WOKINGHAM LEVEL CROSSING DEATH ^ MAN NAMED

Following the death at Waterloo Road level crossing, Wokingham on Saturday 6 March, the deceased has been identified as David Francis Brown, aged 58 from Nine Mile Ride, Wokingham.
Mr Brown was a local car dealer and the loving husband of Marilyn.  He died when his car was struck by a train shortly before 11am on 6 March.  A file is being prepared for the coroner.

Drivers 'should have mandatory level crossing tests'

The driving test should have compulsory questions on level crossings to cut the number of drivers who take risks on them each year, Network Rail has said.
It said there were 14 crashes and 13 deaths last year and 140 near misses between vehicles and trains.
The rail operator recorded 3,200 incidents of misuse, but said the actual figure was likely to be higher.
Network Rail said motorists were "too often playing Russian roulette with a 200-tonne train" - and losing.
Network Rail chief executive Iain Coucher said test questions would help drivers start out with good habits on negotiating level crossings, rather than running red lights or dodging around barriers.
"I'm confident that lives will be saved if motorists learn how to safely use level crossings from the day they pass their test," he said.
Andrew Howard, AA head of road safety, said a train hitting a vehicle on a level crossing was "the single biggest risk of a catastrophic incident on the railway".
He added: "Level crossings are one of the few places where one motorist's irresponsibility can affect the safety of many, many people. Motorists must be aware of the rules, which are simple, logical and well signed. The risk in trying to save two minutes jumping a level crossing just isn't worth it."
British Transport Police Deputy Chief Constable Paul Crowther welcomed the move, saying level crossing incidents were "wholly avoidable" and changing driver behaviour was the "only sustainable solution".
He also suggested placing fixed cameras at "hot-spot" level crossings to help reduce disruption and the risk to life.
Responding to the calls for mandatory testing on level crossings, a Department for Transport spokesman said: "Theory test questions are selected at random, with no single topic guaranteed, because we want candidates to know all the rules of the road rather than just specific areas they know will be covered in the test. However, after close consultation with the rail industry, we have recently incorporated more questions into the theory test on level crossing safety and we have expanded the information on level crossings in the Highway Code. In addition, our children's road safety campaign, Tales of the Road, includes guidance on how pedestrians can use level crossings safely."
Examples of misuse include rushing across after the warning sequence has already begun, ignoring the flashing lights and klaxon - rather like running a red traffic light - to jumping over or manoeuvring around the barrier after it has already been lowered.
According to a Network Rail spokeswoman, people think: "'I need to get home, I can beat that train'. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't."
The 2009 figures show a slight decrease in accidents from the previous year.
There were 3,242 recorded incidents of misuse or error, down from 3,479 in 2008; there were 14 collisions between vehicles and trains, down from 20 in 2008; and 13 deaths, reduced from 15 in 2008.
The spokeswoman said the recorded incidents were those recorded by CCTV, by train drivers or by rail workers, but added the actual number was likely to be higher.
The call for compulsory testing for learner drivers is the latest element of a four-year public awareness campaign that includes TV and radio advertising.

This seems to be case in most Level Crossing accidents. Is it a case of familiarity breeds contempt?

I think the best prevention is detection equipment (cameras or something more automated) that allows someone (or a computer system) to check if cars are present before the train is allowed to come close to the crossing.

I think in regards to Waterloo Road crossing, residents in the area want it closed, so I'm guessing it will be a wait and see what happens with these talks between residents/council and Network Rail.

It personally don't agree with closing it, but do think it should be full barrier like the one before it on the Easthampstead Road.

Worse still, I once saw someone doing the right thing, and waiting for the queue ahead to move before crossing, only to be beeped at by the driver behind for not moving forward!

One thing that does strike me is that the barriers do seem to come down a long way time before the trains come- I suspect they are still at Wokingham station when the sirens first start. Is this because of signal distances, and is there potential to reduce this delay?

APPEAL FOR WITNESSES AFTER LORRY SMASHES LEVEL CROSSING BARRIER - SHROPSHIRE

British Transport Police (BTP) officers are appealing for witnesses after a lorry ripped off a barrier at a level crossing in Shropshire and its driver failed to stop and report the collision.

The incident happened at around 4.20pm on Thursday 11 March at Baschurch level crossing, north of Shrewsbury.

BTP understands the barriers at the crossing were in the process of being lowered at the time to stop road traffic before a train was due to pass through the crossing.

Witnesses reported seeing a lorry collide with one of the barriers at the crossing as it was being lowered but the vehicle failed to stop.

The witnesses were unable to note the lorry's registration number, or provide details of the vehicle's make or owner.

The incident led to delays and disruption for passengers as rail staff had to manually operate the crossing and run trains at slower than usual speeds until the barrier was repaired.

PC Kirk Smith of BTP said: ^I believe there may have been other witnesses who saw what happened and may have information which will assist BTP with our investigation. I would urge anyone with information to contact BTP on 0800 40 50 40, quoting incident number 394 of 11/03/2010 immediately.^

The incident happened just 24 hours after BTP backed a national campaign by Network Rail to tackle level crossing misuse.

Over the last four months BTP has run initiatives across Britain as part of Operation Galley. Dozens of motorists have been warned, given fixed penalties or prosecuted and local publicity has meant that many others have been made aware of the importance of not misusing crossings.

Welcoming Network Rail^s renewed initiative around reducing level crossing misuse, British Transport Police Deputy Chief Constable Paul Crowther said on Wednesday 10 March:

^Level crossing incidents are almost wholly avoidable and changing driver and pedestrian behaviour has to be a major part of the long term solution. BTP has been looking at how some of the lessons from successful roads policing initiatives can also be applied. Research shows that installing fixed cameras on roads can have a significant effect in reducing speeding offences at that location by up to 70%. Similar installations at level crossings, combined with awareness campaigns present an opportunity to achieve sustainable changes in driver behaviour. We are keen to explore these opportunities with NWR and others at pilot locations. These would combine with current plans to deploy mobile cameras and driver retraining schemes".

Meanwhile, BTP officers have spent Thursday and Friday 11 and 12 March at Wem level crossing in Shropshire speaking to motorists using the problem site in an attempt to educate and inform them of the dangers of misusing level crossings.

Notes to Editors:

Please note there is no CCTV at the site therefore no images are available.

It illustrates that motorists and level crossings aren't compatible all
 all around the country.

As posted before it's usually locals that are the worst offenders, so basically you have to campaign at all problems crossing.