Network Rail has slammed the behaviour by the public at a level crossing in Scarborough following two shocking incidents in the past 6 months.
Since June, pedestrians, cyclists and even a quad biker have ignored warnings at Meads Land Level Crossing in Seamer.
The latest incident happened on the 4th October when a TransPennine Express driver reported two adults and three children crossing the tracks just 90 metres in from the train. This incident followed one in September when a man was seen riding a quad bike over the crossing and one in June when a train driver had to apply the emergency brake as two teenagers crossed the line with their bikes.
Network Rail says that trains cant simply swerve out of the way and misusing level crossings can lead to fatal consequences.
Robert Havercroft, Level Crossing Manager for Network Rail, said: “It's really concerning that once again, we have to warn people of the dangers posed by ignoring warnings and signs at level crossings.
“There are around 350* level crossings in North Yorkshire and whilst most people do behave safely and responsibly, some people still don't seem to grasp just how dangerous this behaviour can be.
“We've seen more people using this crossing during the Covid-19 pandemic, and with a second national lockdown beginning on Thursday, we need the community to take notice of this warning and use level crossings responsibly – there's no excuse not to.”
Paul Watson, Operations Director for TransPennine Express, commented: “It is incredibly worrying that people have been misusing Meads Lane Level crossing and putting their lives and the welfare of our colleagues in danger.
“As you can imagine, our trains travel at very high speeds, and it is easy to misjudge just how quickly they approach. Once an obstruction is sighted, they cannot move out of the way and even under emergency braking take a considerable distance to stop. It is crucial that people use level crossings safely by paying attention and following the guidance accordingly.”
Network Rail recently released a picture showing a couple having wedding photographs on the railway line near Whitby in Yorkshire.
A level crossing safety campaign by Network Rail, Bossing The Crossing, can be found here.
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I agree with H. Gillies-Smith. A new bridge is possible and should replace the level crossing.
Answer……..build a bridge?
Hopefully lockdown would put a stop to it but I doubt it. It’s only a matter of time until disaster comes.