Monday, September 14, 2009

PROSECUTION: Watlington, Norfolk

A cyclist has been fined after being caught jumping a lowered barrier on a railway crossing at Watlington.

Officers saw the 22-year-old man, who has not been named, scale the barrier just before a train was due to pass.

The man was issued a £50 fine.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

NOT GUILTY: Bathampton

A driver accused of causing a collision after driving onto a user-worked crossing has been found not guilty.

Bristol Crown Court received information regarding previous operational problems with the crossing at Bathampton. Alan Saunders, 73, was found not guilty of obstructing an engine or carriage using a railway following the incident last year

There have been claims that the white warning light cannot be seen clearly if the sun is shining in a certain position. Network Rail is now planning to close the crossing.

Monday, September 07, 2009

PROSECUTION: Lincoln

A delivery driver who lost control of his vehicle after zig-zagging around barriers at a Lincoln crossing has been found guilty of dangerous driving.

Andrew Otter swerved around the barriers at the Skellingthorpe crossing near Lincoln in July last year. After striking a car at the crossing, Otter mounted the pavement before driving away. He was given a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years and 150 hours unpaid work, banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to take his test again.

INCIDENT: Foxcovert Road FP, Cambridgeshire 07.09.09


A two year old child was killed after he was struck by a passenger train on a footpath crossing in Cambridgeshire.

Reports suggest that the child opened the swing gate to the crossing in Werrington and ran onto the track. He was then hit by a Lincoln to Peterborough passenger train and died instantly.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "Recent inspections of the crossing found it to be in good order with good sight lines, spring-loaded gates, clear safety signage and far higher levels of safety than any road crossing with fencing. The crossing met all our safety regulator's requirements for such a crossing."

Local councillors have campaigned in recent years to have the crossing's protection upgraded.

Peterborough Today: http://bit.ly/4igGsT http://bit.ly/LLuXn

Photo (c) Southern Daily Echo

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

INCIDENT: Penrhyndeudraeth UWC+T, Gwynedd 02.09.09


A woman died when her vehicle was struck by a locomotive on a user worked crossing in Gwynedd.

Sally Hudson drove onto the Penrhyndeudraeth crossing near her home and was struck by a Class 37 test locomotive on a training run from Machynlleth to Porthmadog. Mrs Hudson died at the scene. None of the loco crew were injured.

It is not known at this time whether Mrs Hudson used the telephone at the crossing to request permission to cross.

Photo (c) Rob Formstone