§ Mr. Bryanasked the Minister of Transport if he is satisfied with the precautions taken to safeguard motorists at the level crossing at Ricall, near Selby, in view of recent faults in the track circuit; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. MarshAutomatic half-barriers are so designed that, if faults develop in their mechanism, the barriers are lowered and lights flash until the fault is put right or until the crossing is manned. The faults are automatically indicated in the nearest signalbox and thereafter, under procedure laid down by the Railways Board, drivers of trains are warned to approach the crossing with caution and to be prepared to stop unless it is safe to proceed.
These precautions came into effect during the intermittent electrical failures at Turnhead Level Crossing, Ricall, last week. I recognise that prolonged delays in raising the barriers cause difficulties to motorists but precautions of this sort seem to me to offer the greatest measure of safety to traffic in general. The hon. Member will, however, understand that I can make no wider statement on future policy pending the formal investigations into the safety of automatic half-barriers, which is now in progress.