Network Rail is warning drivers to be patient at Essex level crossings following two incidents on the same day.
Footage released by Network Rail shows a careless driver jump the red lights at the Manningtree crossing earlier this month on the A137 Ipswich Road.
A second incident happened on the same day about ten miles away at East Gates crossing in Colchester.
In this incident, a car went through the red, flashing lights and a second driver completely disregarded the signals and dangerously raced across the tracks as the barriers were descending.
What did the officials say?
Rupert Lown, Network Rail Anglia’s director of safety, said:
“Level crossings if not used properly can be dangerous due to the fast-moving trains.
“Barriers and lights are there to protect drivers from the oncoming trains which travel up to 100 mph on those particular lines. Drivers should not be risking their lives and the lives of others by ignoring red lights and racing to get through the barriers.
“I would urge drivers to be patient at the crossings. These drivers were extremely lucky no one was injured, but the outcome could be very different next time.”
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Responses
If this were America I could understand the temptation to beat the train, as some of their trains are that long you could get out of the car and brew up whilst they were passing. The longest UK train rarely take more than 3-4 minutes to pass just chill out and wait. Emergency vehicles use alternate routes if they are available, if they are not their drivers soon start lobbying the authorities to get the crossing replaced.
Lunatics or what….?
This is the tip of the iceberg where road use is concerned. I see stupidity on a daily basis, and on Saturday witnessed two separate accidents, both caused by stupidity. One was on the awful Manchester guided busway, where a cyclist did what these drivers did, and was hit by a bus. He was lucky a split second either way would have resulted in fatal injuries.
I am afraid it is natural selection, some people believe they are invincible.
These reckless drivers need an instant ban like drink drivers as does the idiots that consistently keep.on using their mobiles while.driving although I do think hands free should be kept if they are totally hands free what is the difference having someone else in your vehicle to a total hands free apart from the obvious physical person in the vehicle they can still communicating.
But why do some drivers jump through the level crossing when there’s red lights flashing and the barriers are coming down just because of a train is coming. I understand why they just don’t seem to notice any dangers ahead when doing these dangerous stunts.
Watching the vidio of the idiots jumping the level crossing, really shocked me. I hope they got the cars no’s and are going to nick them.