800 accidents or near-misses at level crossings

Published on Wednesday 27 January 2010 21:57

THE Scottish Government is seeking ways to improve safety at unmanned level crossings following a series of accidents involving cars and trains.

Transport minister Stewart Stevenson was yesterday presented with the findings of a survey carried out by an MSP who is campaigning for barriers to be erected at the crossings.

Nearly 800 people sent details of accidents or near misses at unmanned crossings to Dave Thompson, a Highlands and Islands SNP MSP, after he sent questionnaires to residents across the region.

Of the 2,483 responses he received, 77 per cent said they did not feel safe using open level crossings, which have flashing warning lights but no barriers.

A total of 86 per cent said they wanted to see barriers installed.

Mr Stevenson said the issue had been discussed at a workshop last week involving Network Rail and the Office of Rail Regulation.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Scottish Government aims to provide the people of Scotland with safe, reliable and efficient transport options for all journeys and will continue to liaise with stakeholders to look at how to work towards a best practice approach to enhance the safety of level crossings across Scotland."

Mr Thompson said later: "Today's meeting was useful and I was pleased to see the minister, Network Rail and other stakeholders taking the issue so seriously.

"I am hopeful of progress in the next financial year and will not stop pressing the case until something is done."

One resident who replied to the survey said: "A relative of mine and his friend were killed at Delny level crossing. Perhaps if barriers had been installed this may never have happened."

Another said: "How many people have to die before adequate safety measures – barriers – are installed? Cameras are not a safety measure, and you cannot prosecute a dead person.

"I find it absolutely extraordinary that open level crossings are allowed at busy crossings – eg in Dingwall. The only reason for not installing barriers is money. What price is people's lives?"

Mr Thompson said that open crossings represent just one in 50 of all level crossings in Scotland, but nearly one in three accidents happen at them.

He said installing barriers, at about 1 million per crossing, would be a valuable use of taxpayers' money.

Earlier this month a man was charged after a collision between a car and a train at a crossing in Halkirk in Caithness.

In September Angus MacKay and his wife Margaret, both 81 and from Inverness, died along with Mr Mackay's brother Donald, 66, after an accident at another crossing in Halkirk.