Wareham has its say over dangerous railway crossing (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Wareham has its say over dangerous railway crossing
7:50am Friday 30th October 2009 in
MORE than 300 residents packed a highly-charged meeting on the future of Wareham’s controversial pedestrian level crossing on Thursday night.
The crossing, recently named by Network Rail as the most dangerous in the UK, looks set to be closed, prompting widespread concerns the town will be effectively cut in half.
Residents, backed by Mid Dorset and North Poole MP Annette Brooke, say the closure will hit the elderly, disabled and youngsters the hardest – forcing them onto busy roads or over a steep footbridge.
However, rail bosses say the crossing at the town’s railway station is one of the worst in the UK, with more than 80 recorded incidents of misuse in the past four years.
At last night’s meeting, organised by Wareham Town Council, at the Purbeck School, Rob Simmons of Network Rail said if nothing was done, then “a serious injury is inevitable”.
“I don’t sleep well at night whenever I think about this crossing,” he said.
Mrs Brooke said: “It’s unsafe as it is.” But she said residents needed to be heard before any decision was made.
Dorset County Council’s traffic manager, Tim Westwood, also addressed the meeting.
Up to 1,000 residents use the crossing daily, as it provides a lifeline for housing estates in the north to shops, schools and services in the south.
Residents demanded all options be considered, including the installation of barriers connected to the rail signalling system.
But Network Rail has already recommended closure of the crossing and jointly supports, with the county council, the building of a new footbridge with wheelchair friendly ramps.
In the short-term, Dorset County Council wants to install electronic gates manned by security, but these will be locked every evening.
Earlier this week, transport minister, Chris Mole, said: “As well as safety, the final decision taken by Dorset County Council and Network Rail must also consider the impact of any closure on the local community.”
No final decision has been taken.
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Comments(16)
MJD
says...
8:13am Fri 30 Oct 09
poolebabe
says...
9:31am Fri 30 Oct 09
MJD wrote:Not it's not bad. How many near misses are there on the roads every single day? I think it would be a crazy decision to close of the crossing claiming it's dangerous. If that's the case, then every road should be closed as well!! Typical of our country at the moment. Identify a slight risk, then seek to remove it. Nanny state yet again!!
Lets put it this way the road was there first and the railway came in 1847. Thats 162 years and 80 reported incadents, thats not bad. I wounder how many deaths ?
poolebabe
says...
9:39am Fri 30 Oct 09
fusspot
says...
10:37am Fri 30 Oct 09
80 people who wanted to be a contender for the Darwin Awards.
I would have thought high gates that cannot be climbed over would be the answer and linked to the signalling system. Much cheaper than building a bridge or having manned gates that are restricted to certain hours....that doesn't do anyone any favours at all.
wayneofafcb
says...
10:40am Fri 30 Oct 09
The cost of proper barriers, and the cost of someone taking Network Rail to court under health and safety laws, if their sily kid runs in front of a train.
poolebabe
says...
11:57am Fri 30 Oct 09
Upkeep
says...
12:29pm Fri 30 Oct 09
Why do you consider the risk at this crossing as only a minor risk. I cant believe the ignorance of people.
If the light shows RED dont cross. Simple.
Because the idiots at Wareham cant understand that instruction you are now going to lose your crossing.
Good.
[Chris]
says...
3:01pm Fri 30 Oct 09
.
A simple solution as already mentioned is to add gates to the crossing, connected to the lights and siren system for that added security, or for those who are obviously colour blind and cannot hear the signal.
.
It seems ludicrous that NR and DCC state that they will build a footbridge with ramps for wheelchairs etc. Some disabled people wheelchair themselves. A ramp will prove difficult for those. But, the NR and DCC have also said they will add gates to the crossing at a later time. So why not now and save money. Two gates, connected to an already wired system cannot be as expensive as a foot bridge.
.
Let the people of Wareham keep their level crossing. Its simples.
Lewcee
says...
4:07pm Fri 30 Oct 09
sea poole
says...
5:11pm Fri 30 Oct 09
IF (God forbid) there is a fatality, I bet the same 'commenters' will either be strangely silent, or screaming about Network Rail to be sued for negligence.
It's mind-blowing. Nothing to do with 'nanny state', but even if idiots like the woman with the pram crossing the rails gets fatally injured, these same people will say' 'it's your fault.' Is it also the fault of the baby...?
X Old Bill
says...
6:45pm Fri 30 Oct 09
When someone walks across the Railway while a crossing is closed then they are trespassing on the railway; That act has been illegal for 170 years and is not a 21st century invention.
Trains cannot stop suddenly or swerve to avoid pedestrians in the way that motor cars can.
There now seems to be a camera in place to record these events; Does it not occur to people that the camera was put there because these events were ALREADY occurring, and to such an extent that the placing of a camera became worthwhile?
The road level crossing was closed when the road bridge was opened nearby.
As required by law the bridge does have space for pedestrians, but as is normal practice, there are no proper access paths.
The original pedestrian level crossing did have gates, these gates were often damaged by users and the mechanism jammed. There was a danger that people may get trapped inside the gates because of this misuse.
The current level crossing does not have gates. This arrangement is not unique and is an approved method of control. It would have been authorised by a Government Official after application made by the Railway and DCC.
rook
says...
8:56am Sat 31 Oct 09
Lewcee wrote:I think you've hit the nail on the head lewcee - why else make such a fuss about it now? It raises the issue of all the other unmanned crossings between Wareham and Weymouth which they will have to address if through trains are the real concern.
Could it be that there is something else afoot? In two year's time. The Olympics. Maybe Network rail are preparing for THROUGH (ie non-stop) trains to go direct from London to Weymouth... such "high speed" units would whistle thru this crossing, giving a stranded pedestrian no chance..In other words, a change of use. As the Road was there first, it is unbelieveable that Rail are "offering" to help with a Bridge! THEY should build it at NO cost to the Council.
Personally, I agree that the risk is no different to crossing a road, and people who do either irresponsibly really don't get any sympathy when the odds catch up with them.
rich dorset
says...
7:53am Sun 1 Nov 09
I would strongly say close the crossing for good, and have a footpath at the side of the road bridge.
Wareham mayor says parents want to walk their children to school. Balderdash!!!!! Parents prefer to drive children to school, or children go on school busses.
Oh, and don't forget, there is already a bus service which connects people in North Wareham with the town centre.
As far as I am con cerned, the mother seen running across the crossing pushing a push chair needs to be done for attempted murder. Had the train been a bit nearer, or a wheel of the pushchair got stich in the tracks on the crossing, I dread to think what would have happened. Running with a push chair in the first instance is dangerous, let alone running across a level crossing. The two pensioners seen walking across should have the common sense at their age to stand and wait, or use their free bus pass to jump on a bus.
Let's use this phrase - "abuse it, and you'll lose it".
Needless to say I SUPPORT THE CLOSURE OF THE CROSSING.
rich dorset
says...
8:25am Sun 1 Nov 09
MJD wrote:no, it is 80 REPORTED incidents in FOUR YEARS. Doh!!! read the story correctly before commenting.
Lets put it this way the road was there first and the railway came in 1847. Thats 162 years and 80 reported incadents, thats not bad. I wounder how many deaths ?
rich dorset
says...
8:32am Sun 1 Nov 09
MJD wrote:yes, the road was there first, but then the road, for some reason, was closed and made into the bridge that is there now. when this was done the crossing should have been completely closed, and footpaths put on the side of the road bridge. this was not done, but needs doing now before someone is killed.
Lets put it this way the road was there first and the railway came in 1847. Thats 162 years and 80 reported incadents, thats not bad. I wounder how many deaths ?
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CONTROVERSIAL: The pedestrian footpath over the railway at Wareham Station
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inpoole says...
8:13am Fri 30 Oct 09