Train hits car on level crossing in Berkshire - BBC News (06/03/2010)

[whole diary]

[argg]

The following quote was posted this morning on the local press (Wokingham Times) website as a comment to the news item naming the driver:

"Dave was my brother in law for 40 years a ill man who could take no more no more pain loved by Anne ANDY [SPIKE]AND uncle to Kerrie Anne xxxxxxxxxxx "

So education is not the issue here.

Very sad

I live in Wokingham and know the three crossings well.  This one only has half barriers - what is the justification for that? Presumably cost.  Surely full barriers must lessen the risks although suicidal people will always find a way

[Mookiemoo]

But what happens if you don't live near ANY level crossing.

I'm pretty sure where I grew up in Bootle you'd have to look long and hard to find one - even if there is one!

[Ollie]

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.

[Brucey]

I don't think "level crossing training" will help anyone.  People speed when they're told its dangerous, people run red lights when they're told its dangerous, people don't wear seatbelts when they're told its dangerous, ...

Surely it is obvious that if you enter a level crossing when the barriers are up, they may come down before you've moved which results in you being trapped?

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.

[JayMac]

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.

A nice idea, but for that to work you need the detection equipment to relay a message to signals sufficiently far from the crossing to alert an oncoming train, travelling at line speed, to give it enough time to stop before the crossing. Consequently the barriers will need to be closed for far longer than at present - something that motorists will not tolerate. There are already major concerns on this stretch of line - particularly around Staines - about the amount of time that barriers are down. Recent studies in association with the proposed Heathrow Airtrack scheme have shown that barrier downtime in some locations on this line already amounts 25 minutes per hour at peak times. Increasing the barrier downtime to absolutely protect oncoming trains is just not feasible.

So, it has to be education for motorists (and pedestrians) about the dangers of level crossings. It has to be firmer punitive action for those caught in 'near misses'. No easy answer for those intent on suicide......

[Super Guard]

They are half barrier because of the automatic way they are operated (by the oncoming train in effect), so if you made them full barrier, the barrier would go down regardless and trap anyone who may genuinely be stuck and trying to get off the crossing (e.g. someone stalling a car).

Unless you are going to CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) every set of barriers and then have enough Signalling staff to monitor them all, while ensuring trains don't get delayed when running at linespeed, then this problem is not going away.

[mjones]

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.

I use the Easthamstead Rd crossing on my way to work on my bicycle. There's often long queues heading into town in the evening and you do see people waiting on the crossing, having driven onto it knowing their escape route is blocked if the barriers start to come down! 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?

[Mookiemoo]

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!

How about similar situation, car in front doing the right thing - only to be overtaken by the car behind who then pushes its way in front ON the level crossing.

[IndustryInsider]

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?

That's the problem with locally monitored or CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) crossings - associated signals can't be cleared until the barriers are locked in the down position, and to avoid slowing down the train that might mean a wait of several minutes, depending on the location.  On the Cotswold Line the wait can often be 5 minutes or more, especially at Bruern.

The advantage (in terms of keeping traffic moving) of the half-barrier type is that because the signals are green and the train approaching sets the barriers down, the waiting time is much less - more like 20-30 seconds from the barriers coming down to the train passing.

[eightf48544]

Level crossings seem to be the one last major problem for overall rail safety. As I've posted before there were problems in the 60s with manned swing gates and far less traffic at places like Sunningdale on the A30.

AHBs and CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) monitored crossing kept many lines open by dispensing with crossing keepers and thus reducing overall costs.

Now with increased rail and road traffic then expensive elimination work is the only way forward. I believe the raod lovbby should pay as the crossing was probably there from the lines construction and the days of the horse and cart.

It can be done look at Tipton West Midlands where a notorious crossing (shut 45 out 60 minutes each rush hour) was replaced by an under bridge. And there was a canal right by the railway as well.

I don't envy the signalmen working CCTV monitored crossing having watched the Lee Valley signalman in Liverpool Street IECC^▸ (Integrated Electronic Control Centre) monitoring half a dozen crossing on the line. He just had to watch a screen see the barriers go down and press a button if they aren't obstructed to allow the signals to clear. They only do short stints to avoid fatigue.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) press release:

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^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) at the site therefore no images are available.

[Mookiemoo]

Whats that got to do with berkshire?

[eightf48544]

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 problem crossing.

[Mookiemoo]

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.

I see it as one less idiot out of the gene pool!

Hopefully BEFORE they procreate

[John R]

Yes, but how many on the train will they take with them?