§ Mr. Mark Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether he is satisfied with the progress being made in the conversion of the miniature warning light equipped level crossings to other means of control; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how many level crossings on public roads are still controlled by the miniature warning light system.
§ Mr. David MitchellThere are currently 42 level crossings on public roads which are equipped with miniature warning lights (MWL) and 58 on private roads. The main feature of this form of protection is that the user operates the barrier or gate himself, with the MWL giving a warning of the approach of a train. When these crossings were first introduced the conditions of suitability were that the road usage was to be light and essentially local in character, so that most of those using the crossing would be familiar with it.
Following an accident at Naas crossing in 1979, the railway inspectorate reviewed all the MWL crossings. Whilst recognising that at most locations the original conditions still applied, the inspector recommended that no more should be installed on public roads, and none has been. He further recommended that existing ones should, in the long term, be converted to other forms of protection.
At the time of publication of his report, in mid-1981, six crossings had been identified as being no longer fully suitable for MWL. At two the road usage was no longer light or local: these two crossings have been converted. Plans to convert the other four are well advanced; most will be done during 1985. It is the Railways Board's view, shared by the inspectorate, that there is no cause to divert funds to the wholesale conversion of MWL crossings from work on crossings whose modernisation is being given a higher priority.