Action over open rail crossings ‘long overdue’
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A CALL for barriers to be fitted at two level rail crossings in Caithness has been welcomed by local Highland councillor David Flear.
He was pleased a safety review carried out by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch has urged Network Rail to install barriers at 13 open sites in the Highlands, including those at Halkirk and Hoy.
Mr Flear, a Landward Caithness councillor, welcomed the call and said such an initiative would improve safety. He also urged Network Rail to carry out the work quickly.
“The barriers should be installed as soon as possible to protect people’s lives,” said Mr Flear, who argued such action is “long overdue”.
The RAIB report said barriers should be fitted to more than half of Scotland’s open level crossings.
There are 23 throughout the country although 21 of them are in the Highlands.
Some crossings should close completely if automatic barriers are not installed, stated the report.
The review was prompted by a fatal crash in 2009 when three members of the same family were killed in an accident at an ungated level crossing at Halkirk.
Angus and Margaret Mackay, who lived in Inverness, and Mr Mackay’s brother, Donald, from Latheron, lost their lives when their car was in a collision with a train.
Network Rail said it was implementing a substantial programme of activity aimed at reducing the level of risk by a quarter by 2014.
