Yet another level crossing fatality
 

Just breaking news but another car has been hit by a train at a level crossing, causing one fatality. The train driver is fortunately uninjured:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-20892607

Thank goodness the train driver wasn't hurt.

Another one.:(

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-21873451

Further info

it was a half gate crossing and the car driver went round the gate

I agree Mad Carvanner, ....but do you know what? Something inside me says that (for the sake of one man's lowly wage instead of a machine.......at the crossing gates, no-one need have died). We must therefore thank the Lord that no-one on the train also died.
Level crossings were in the beginning..a cheap option for the railway. Cheaper than providing an under or overpass!

Second.....They later removed the crossing attendant and replaced him with an automated machine to make it even cheaper!

Now, they are blaming the public for misusing a flawed system that they have installed to cover their withdrawal of attendant staff at the site in order to maximise profits!

My position is: Let's do it properly shall we? High speed rail and level crossings....Don't Mix!.......

Automatic barriers!
It's all down to cost.
It IS Not possible to bridge many of the level crossings reasons below
1) there are too many of them
2) the volume of traffic (both rail & road) does not warrant it.
3) in many places it is not possible to bridge/underpass the the railway

In nearly every accident on automatic half barriers the accident was caused by miss use.
If gates were used delays to road users would be longer.

To man & gate all crossings would be prohibitively expensive.
It is not the system that it flawed but Impatient road users.

The big problem with todays Britain is that everyone is in too much of a rush very few people give themselves TIME to get where they are going and so drive like idiots to get anywhere on time even the pub

All they have to do is leave a few minutes earlier and RELAX when driving then people wouldn't do stupid things not just level crossing (BTW I agree with Resolution about jobs v machines) but undertaking and driving in the middle lane of a motorway etc.

BTW The train that hit the car was a HST and so is hardly damaged it was travelling at approx 100mph and was still on the rails looking at images I have seen only the nose and front coupling need attention - - - I shudder to think what a Voyager would have fared like if that had hit it

After the incident at Copmanthorpe a few years back when a car was hit by a Voyager.
The car disintegrated but the voyager only had the front bogie derailed initially by one 1 wheelset then later on the 2nd wheelset derailed.
I had to measure the overall length of the site immediately after the incident for relay purposes.
A couple of reps from the TOC asked what was the length from the impact point to the front of the train. The distance was about 50m under the full emergency braking distance.

Isn't it time to fit 4 barriers instead of 2 ? Nearly every accident is caused by idiots driving round the half barriers. They also need top extensions to stop other idiots vaulting over them.

Yes this is quite true Tony, if it was not for the most idiotic actions of a few people, we might all get on and enjoy the things we do. In the end it usually ends up with us all having to pay more, to put in stricter and more secure safety measures, and not just at barriers but in almost every walk of life these days. Higher insurance costs etc.
The worst is the cost to human life! if that train had derailed who knows the untold misery this would cause to so many families? Why, all because of a stupid action, where some idiot thinks these rules don't apply to them! Like Gray said everyone is in too much of a rush these days.
Why oh why do we have so many completely idiotic people at large? Beats me!!!!!
Frustrated
Phil

I came up with a concept a little while ago. Why don't crossings use rising bollards along with barriers? Would be reasonably costly to install, but would stop cars on the spot. A lot like is used in Manchester for the bus lanes. Would be one way to stop people jumping crossings. Barriers would still be an advantage to stop pedestrians and cyclists ect, who I know can be just as bad, if not worse than motorists.

The main reason we have half barriers is that vehicles can carry on when the barriers have started to come down
If "bollards" were installed vehicles could get "stuck on the crossing.

What about those one way catches often seen at car parks to prevent people driving against them? OK in the correct direction as they lay flat but stay up if you try to drive against them. I think the people who risk getting hit by a train will be more likely not to risk tyre damage. I do not mean the type where a great wide section rises up but the smaller 'finger' type that can be driven over at a reasonably fast speed.
John.

All the suggestions would cost the earth & baring in mind how many level crossings there are some accidents are bound to happen
I will say this again most crossing accidents are caused by miss use.

Ban cars. Problem solved!

Exactly Silver Fox, these days Systems don't just need to be "Fool Proof".......they need to be "Idiot Proof".......

It's so dangerous now, that cost! Is not an option anymore ......

Bring back the manned crossings!.........or, spend the cash for under or over passes at all rail and road junctions!.......

Ban level crossings

one life too many lost through people not thinking hate to be a nanny but if there were no level crossings there would be a few less accidents

On some lines in the Nottinghamshire / Lincolnshire area where the land is FLAT there are a lot of hump back bridges which solve the problem, Over bridges would be better for the railway as they stay on the flat there's nothing for oversized lorries or Double Decker Busses taking the wrong route to hit and close Both Railway and Road.
AND
A bridge building program would give a lot of jobs to out of work people.

Do you know how many level crossings there are between Nottingham & Lincoln alone?
What about the line from Doncaster to Peterborough via Lincoln?

To be honest this is one of those issues where cost SHOULD be irrelevant the Transport people should get their wallets open and DWP should too

Are you saying that a level crossing with a usage of about five cars a day should be bridged?:confused:
There are hundreds of such crossings(low use) through out the railway system.

"Hump back bridges" can be a hazard in themselves with visibility and threat of grounding. To keep them safe with an adequate flat top would mean a long rise on each side taking much land and material.
I have an idea which I think would solve the problem and I don't think it's been suggested. Why not have gates which open out over the road, perhaps painted white with some red warning signs, with someone in a box at the side of the track to operate them? He/she could also operate signals to control the trains?? Seems simple enough ;-)

That system would be open to even more abuse
Think about it if any idiot can stop a train whenever they wanted CHAOS.

I will say this again 99.9% of crossing accidents are caused by misuse
Make crossing misuse a costly offence say six points & £1,000 fine or an instant driving ban(1year)

Very amusing! As we used to say in the good old days: "if it aint broken dont try to fix it!!"
Cheers
Phil

Question: If you go through a RED traffic light & you get hit by another vehicle whose fault is it? YOURS!
SO: If you go through a RED flashing light at a level crossing & you get hit by a train whose fault is it AGAIN YOURS.

You can make these crossings fool proof you can't make them idiot proof.

Looks like action is being taken in Wales.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-22480502

Seems to be the only way unfortunately. Like I said before it will ultimately cost us a fortune and take away some of our heritage by way of the removal of gates, signal boxes and manned crossings! All for the sake of the idiot who thinks he or she knows best, by beefing the train!
All the best
Phil

It looks like as if these are crossings without barriers (Pictured)
There are many of these scattered all over the railway system mainly on lines with few trains & little population.
These crossings were about in steam days so why the problem now?
I'm off to Wales tomorrow the line from Shrewsbury to Machynlleth has a few of these crossings you can hear the warning sirens on the train on approaching them there are also flashing lights......................so is it a case of DRIVING WITHOUT DUE CARE & ATTENTION?

Did a trip along the Cambrian this week (Tywyn to Porthmadog) there are four types of crossing on that stretch of line :
Full barriers,Half barriers,No gates but with warning lights & Gated with no warning lights(farm crossings)

I have not heard of any accidents or close shaves on that stretch of line.