ABUSE / PROSECUTION: Paignton MCB

Pedestrians and motorists continue to abuse the manual barrier crossing in Paignton, Devon.

Identified as one of the most abused crossings in the south west region, officials from Network Rail and British Transport Police ran an awareness session at Paignton in April - and witnessed six pedestrians running across after the lights and klaxons had triggered.

Between twenty and twenty five incidents of abuse are recorded at Paignton crossing every year. In February a woman driver was fined £190 and given three penalty points after pleading guilty to failing to stop at the red light there. Magistrates heard that local resident Margaret Powell was spotted slowing down as she approached the crossing then accelerating across the crossing.