Safety calls over death crossing (BBC News)

[RF News]

Campaigners call for urgent safety improvements to a crossing where a woman and her seven-year-old grandson were hit by a train.

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[paul miller]

My condolences to the family of the people involved in this tragedy.
I assume much "arse covering" will now follow by all involved in the running of our railways.
Paul.

[Flying Pig]

Originally Posted by BBC News

Councillor Baron said he wanted to see gates installed which locked themselves when a train approaches.

There's always some politico who wants a slice of the 'action'.

What this numpty hasn't considered, is that anybody who is already lineside when the gate locks is then trapped in with trains. That's one of the reasons why we have AHBs on many non-CCTV road crossings in this country - to maintain an escape route.

Perhaps a better idea would be to instal lights & sounders that activate when a train approaches, although previous crossing tragedies have had theses features.

Doubtless some NIMBY would then complain about the noise, and environmentalists would moan about the waste of energy.

[paul miller]

The top and bottom of it FP, is that pedestrians and trains dont mix do they?
We spend all this money fencing the lineside off from the public, and then allow people to walk across the tracks.
I dont know how many crossings like this there are in the country, I bet I would be "gobsmacked" if I knew the number. The only real answer is to make them an alternative form of crossing, but that costs money, of which we have none for sensible uses, but plenty for greedy bankers.
You are absolutely correct about the complaints that would come from the "nimby" brigade.
Paul.

[LesG]

Why is it when something like this happens its always the fault of the railway.

As the NR spokesman said "if used correctly they are perfectly safe".

You don't walk out onto a road without looking so why walk over a user worked crossing without looking, Trains have white lights on the front and red on the rear so if you look and see white lights coming then clear the track and wait for the train to pass.

Granted I don't know the section of line involved i.e curvature,line speed etc but surely basic self preservation should dictate here.

The railway can not be held responsible for every incident.

My condolences also go to the family.

Les

[paul miller]

Cannot argue with any of that Les.
I used to use a foot crossing every day of my life in the 1970's, along with horeseriders and people on bicycles. This was on the 4 track Erewash Valley line. Busy was not a good enough description of this line at the time. It was not unusual to see all 4 tracks occupied.
I would use it to take my 2 small daughters a walk into the countryside, and we would stop and listen, and listen, and listen. They understood that these things killed you, because I told them so.
I dont know what has happened this time, but whatever it is does'nt bear thinking about.
Paul.

[bramleyman]

It is such a tragedy that this sadly happened and like PM, my condolences go out to the family.

What did get me though, was the report in The Sun today and where they claimed there are three tracks at this crossing, yet showed a photo of two people on a DOUBLE tracked crossing with one weed strewn and what appears to be flowers by a gate by the clear rails.