Brockenhurst level-crossing woman drives along tracks - 26 January 2012

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

None of the news articles, from whatever source, have bothered to check the distance.  The car was stopped by the points no more than about 25 yards from the level crossing.  80 yards must have been a wild guess by someone which seems to have become accepted fact. 

Paul

[EBrown]

None of the news articles, from whatever source, have bothered to check the distance.  The car was stopped by the points no more than about 25 yards from the level crossing.  80 yards must have been a wild guess by someone which seems to have become accepted fact. 

Paul

Another points failure? All she wanted to do was change line...

[BerkshireBugsy]

None of the news articles, from whatever source, have bothered to check the distance.  The car was stopped by the points no more than about 25 yards from the level crossing.  80 yards must have been a wild guess by someone which seems to have become accepted fact. 

Paul

Another points failure? All she wanted to do was change line...

And despite rumours to the contrary the driver was not trying to reach 88 miles an hour.

[eightf48544]

Lucky it was a manned box, wonder what would have happened at a CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) or AHB crossing.

[MrC]

None of the news articles, from whatever source, have bothered to check the distance.  The car was stopped by the points no more than about 25 yards from the level crossing.  80 yards must have been a wild guess by someone which seems to have become accepted fact. 

The perspective on the photos is a bit out. She got past the frog on the points to Pl.1 not far short of the platform ramp - it might not be 80 yds but it's a lot further than 25. Out of curiosity just fired up the measuring tool on Google Maps and it reckons 50m/164ft from the edge of the road to approximately where the front of the car stopped.

[IndustryInsider]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P7_t4-WsB8

 

[EBrown]

There's a new career for her as a stunt driver, I reckon. 

Well she won't make a good train driver, she was a fair way off the stop board!

[Phil]

I remember a taxi driver in Wales ( I shan't say where exactly for reasons that'll become clear in a moment) telling me a couple of years ago that his 93 year old father had collected 9 points on his licence in the past 4 years alone.

He then explained with a grin that his father hadn't actually driven a car for 20 years, but he did rather enjoy a bottle of Scotch every now and again....

[broadgage]

I have once come round a corner doing 60mph (the speed limit on the road) and had to slam on the brakes because some stupid o.a.p was only doing around 20mph and couldn't drive in a straight line, driver nearly clipped me as I overtook as she suddently realised she wanted to change lanes and didnt bother looking till I blasted the horn (and a bit of  hand gesturing)

I would however ask, was driving at 60 MPH sensible in such conditions, although permitted.
What would you have done if the other vehicle had been not moving at 20MPH, but had been stopped by mechanical failure or illness ?
What if there had been a horserider or cyclist moving at less than 20MPH in the road ?

[rogerpatenall]

I have once come round a corner doing 60mph (the speed limit on the road) and had to slam on the brakes

The road limit may be 60, but that isn't the minimum.  It doesn't necessarily mean that it is safe to drive around a (presumably blind) corner at the maximum speed.

[JayMac]

Oh dear. 60mph going round a corner from which you obviously couldn't see enough of the road ahead if you had to slam on the brakes.

It would appear that your driving was equally as poor as the OAPs. And from someone who is, I believe, a professional driver. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Southern Daily Echo:

Gran who drove along rail track in Brockenhurst gives up licence

A pensioner who drove her car along a high-speed rail line has escaped prosecution after giving up her driving licence.

The 85-year-old was giving her grandson a lift to Brockenhurst station when she took a wrong turn and ended up on the track.

Instead of stopping or reversing back on to the road she carried on for about 80 yards ^ narrowly avoiding the live rail.

As reported in the Daily Echo, her silver-coloured Renault Clio came to rest on a set of points at the end of platform two, halting trains for almost two hours.

The pensioner, who lives in the New Milton area, was later reported for careless driving.

But British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) have dropped the case ^ largely as a result of her decision to quit driving.

A BTP spokesman said: ^Given the woman^s age, and the fact that she^s surrendered her licence, officers are taking no further action.^

The incident occurred shortly after the morning rush-hour on January 26.

The pensioner was halfway across a level crossing when she veered left, apparently mistaking the line for the entrance to the station car park.

The car was removed by a crane after she and her 20-yearold grandson were rescued and checked by paramedics.

A similar incident happened at the same spot in 1997, when a 46-year-old woman drove 15 yards up the track.

Hampshire County Council leader Ken Thornber, who represents Brockenhurst, has told highway chiefs to carry out a safety review of the crossing.

Councillor Maureen Holding, who represents Brockenhurst on the district council, said the line was next to the car park entrance and warned that a similar incident could occur in fog. Earlier this month it was revealed that the number of drivers aged 80 or over has topped one million for the first time. But motoring organisations say people over 70 should only be forced to stop driving if there were ^compelling^ reasons.

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update on this incident, from the Bournemouth Echo:

A year after OAP drove onto high-speed railway line, the wait for new signs goes on



It was a disastrous error that could have led to tragedy. An 85-year-old motorist was half-way across a level crossing when she suddenly veered off the road and along a high-speed railway line, narrowly missing the live rail and halting trains.

But highway chiefs have taken a year to devise a scheme aimed at preventing anything similar happening again.

Campaigners have condemned the delays surrounding the project, which includes new road signs either side of the barrier-controlled crossing at Brockenhurst station.

Denis Fryer, of the South Hampshire Rail Users^ Group, said: ^It^s very poor. The risks attached to any incident involving an electrified rail are huge. The county council seems to have taken an awfully long time to address something that should have been dealt with pretty quickly.^

The incident happened a year ago today. A New Milton pensioner was giving her 20-year-old grandson a lift when she mistook the line for the entrance to the station car park. Instead of stopping or reversing, she drove 80 yards up the track and ended up on a set of points near the end of platform two. She and her grandson escaped unhurt after rail employees quickly switched off the power.

Network Rail said trains were in no danger because the crossing barriers were up, which meant all the signals in the area were on red.

The gran was reported for careless driving, but British Transport Police dropped the case after she handed in her licence.

The proposed new directional signs aim to prevent anyone else making the same error.

Parish council chairman Russell Horne welcomed the scheme, but called for the inclusion of a ^non-standard^ sign highlighting the position of the track. ^At the moment there^s nothing to indicate that there^s a railway there,^ he said.

Cllr Horne defended the time taken to implement the measures. He said: ^It^s always a lot better when things are done more speedily, but the county council has had to carry out a proper process of consultation and consideration.^

A Network Rail spokesman said: ^What happened at Brockenhurst was incredibly unusual. It^s not the sort of thing we see every day.^

South West Trains declined to comment.

What the county council says

Councillor Mel Kendal, deputy leader and executive member for environment and transport, said: ^Immediately following the incident the county council, as the highway authority, carried out a preliminary assessment and concluded that signage was not a significant causal factor in this case.

^Because the incident took place on the railway, Network Rail undertook a detailed review and our highways engineers were happy to provide their input.

^Once the review was largely complete, our initial view was there was nothing to change our preliminary conclusion about signage but we did think it was appropriate to refresh the signing in the area. Some early proposals were prepared and have been discussed with the parish council.

^Following comments received from them, we are currently in discussion with the Department for Transport to see if we are able to accommodate a request for signs which ordinarily would not be compliant with the Department^s standards and regulations.^

[JayMac]

I'm surprised Denis Fryer of SHRUG couldn't find a way of blaming SWT^▸ (South West Trains).

[inspector_blakey]

Oh for pity's sake! As if someone so terminally befuddled and confused at the wheel that they drive down a s0dd1ng *railway line* is going to pay the tiniest bit of attention to some "signage".

Parish council chairman Russell Horne welcomed the scheme, but called for the inclusion of a ^non-standard^ sign highlighting the position of the track. ^At the moment there^s nothing to indicate that there^s a railway there,^ he said.

Apart from the presence of an obvious multi-track railway 

This kind of cr@p really makes my blood boil. The problem was solved the second this driver handed in her licence and no further action is necessary, surely?

I'm surprised Denis Fryer of SHRUG couldn't find a way of blaming SWT^▸ (South West Trains).

Quite. Nice to see Mr Fryer of SHRUG offering an erudite and valuable opinion on the subject.