§ Dr. Michael Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the installation of automatic open level crossings in the light of recent accidents; and if he will make a statement on the safety of these crossings compared with conventional gated crossings.
§ Mr. David MitchellPreliminary reports indicate that in all the recent accidents at automatic open crossings the equipment was in full working order and each accident was caused by a failure of the road user to observe the simple rules for the safe use of the crossing. I have no plans therefore to review the arrangements for the installation of these crossings. Stopping at red traffic lights at a junction with another road or with rail is an elementary part of driver safety.
On the basis of comparison used in previous answers, it is still true to say that the likelihood of having an 63W accident at a crossing with gates is some one and a third times greater than at an automatic open crossing of the type where the train driver monitors the correct functioning of the crossing such as is installed at Woodham Ferrers.