Help cut rail crossing death toll, farmers told

Published on Thursday 25 June 2009 23:04

FARMERS and crofters in the Highlands are being targeted in a drive to improve safety at level crossings.

British Transport Police (BTP) figures out yesterday show 101 drivers crossed barriers when a train was coming last year.

Now for the first time BTP officers and rail officials will visit farmers' markets and livestock auctions to get the safety message to agricultural workers, who often use level crossings.

The move is part of European Level Crossing Awareness Day which is being backed by BTP, Network Rail, ScotRail and the Office of Rail Regulation.

Network Rail is holding a series of awareness events at the most misused level crossings with leaflets asking: "Would it kill you to wait?"

Between April 2007 and March 2008 BTP recorded 140 offences at level crossings in Scotland. Of those 79 (56.4 per cent) were reported to the procurator fiscal. From April last year to March this year the number rose to 188, with 124 reported.

Constable Paul Mellis, the initiative's co-ordinator, said: "It seemed sensible to target people who use crossings every day as they go about their work."

Checkpoints will also be set up at Garve and Dingwall level crossings in Ross-shire. Drivers will be stopped and given leaflets spelling out the dangers of misusing level crossings.

Last year, 15 people died on level crossings in the UK in Britain, with more than 3,400 incidents of misuse.

On average, more than three motorists a week were involved in a near miss, where a train narrowly avoided hitting them after ignoring warning signs or weaving round barriers. There were 20 collisions between trains and motor vehicles.

Mark Henderson, Network Rail's community safety manger for Scotland, said: "Level crossings are safe if used correctly, but time and time again people risk their lives by jumping the gates, swerving around barriers and ignoring warning signs."