Letters – How do we solve crossing problems?

Just before Christmas I witnessed an incident at the level crossing on Winsover Road.

This incident could have had fatal consequences, a car proceeding towards the town centre had been caught on the train crossing.

The driver had proceeded believing the traffic flow would continue and entered the crossing as the prevailing traffic lights were all set to green and exiting the crossing was achievable.

However the traffic situation changed and the car couldn’t exit the crossing.

At this time the lights started to flash and the level crossing barriers started to deploy.

Watching this situation unfold I had presumed the barrier would sense the car was in the way and retract, then redeploy when the crossing was clear.

Sadly this didn’t occur and the barrier crashed down across the boot of the car. The car edged forward and the barrier deployed successfully.

This could so easily have been a fatal incident if the car had been unable to move forward.

I am surprised there were no sensors on the barrier and also no camera system seemed to be in place which could of alerted the level crossing operator to the potential danger.

Maybe this is an isolated incident but I think not.

So I started to think of who I should write to and explain my concern. So who has responsibility for both the traffic and train operation?

Who would be the authority with legal responsibility and would of conducted risk assessments and the like to mitigate any danger?

Based on the single incident that I witnessed there is considerable cause for concern.

The Winsover Road traffic problems should be of considerable concern to somebody in authority but I suspect no one has this role.

The western bypass is often cited as the solution but this is years away and this needs a solution in the next year.

So how do we get this problem solved?

Geoff Taylor
Spalding