Normans Bay level crossing plan 'will lead to rat run' (East Sussex)

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

Slightly outside our geographical area, but still topical - from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Network Rail wants to modernise the level crossing at Normans Bay as part of a resignalling project

Proposals to modernise a manned level crossing in East Sussex will cause chaos and create a rat run through a village, according to residents.

Network Rail wants to install lifting barriers at the Havensmouth crossing in Normans Bay, to be controlled and monitored by CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele-Vision) from Three Bridges. It said it would reduce the potential for safety risks occurring through misuse and would also be more reliable.

Villagers fear more motorists will use the single-track road as a result.

Robert Chase, of the Normans Bay Residents Association, said only about 200 people lived in the village and Coast Road, which was a private road and originally "just a cart track", was not suitable for heavy traffic, and had no pavements, lighting or road signs.

The level crossing is currently manned between 07:00 and 22:00, seven days a week, with the gates remaining shut overnight.

During the day the crossing could be closed for up to 20 minutes at a time, meaning motorists tended not to use the road, Mr Chase said.

However, residents fear changes to how it is operated will lead to more drivers using it as a short-cut to travel between Pevensey and Bexhill, causing traffic jams and risking vehicles becoming stuck on the level crossing at peak times.

Mr Chase said: "The traffic is controlled by those people manning the signals, but it could become an impossible logjam very quickly."

The campaigners have the backing of local Conservative MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) Greg Barker, who last week held a meeting with Network Rail and representatives of the residents' association.

Network Rail said the crossing was being modernised as part of a wider resignalling project which would improve "the reliability of the railway and safety at level crossings".

A spokesman said: "We will continue to discuss our proposals with residents and interested parties and explore with them different ways of managing the impact of traffic."

[Electric train]

Simple answer just close the level crossing permanently that'll control the traffic.  I know this crossing its the type where the crossing keeper opens the gates only when there are vehicles that want to get across

[Network SouthEast]

I'd like to know a little more about the propose replacement crossing Network Rail are providing. It's possible to have a CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele-Vision) crossing, like the one at Appleford, which remains down by default, and is only raised when contact has been made with the signaller (and it is safe to do so).

[eightf48544]

Wasn't there a similar fuss at Frinton a while back the friendly gate keeper being replaced by CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele-Vision) crossing thus allowing the riff raff into town. Wonder what happened there?