§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in view of the potential danger to local residents, he will now agree to the installation of a full depth automatic crossing barrier at the level crossing over Cherry Hinton High street in Cambridgeshire.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe decision to authorise British Railways to install an automatic half-barrier system of protection at Cherry Hinton level crossing was taken after careful consideration of all the relevant facts and in the knowledge that such a system would provide an adequate level of safety for all the users of the crossing since it fully met the Department's published requirements for level crossings. The making of the statutory order to carry this decision into effect has been temporarily suspended because the Cambridge county and city councils have begun negotiations with British Railways about funding the difference in cost between an AHB and a manually controlled full barrier system operated and supervised with the aid of closed circuit television. I cannot prejudge the outcome of these negotiations. But if British Railways decide to withdraw their application for an AHB and submit a fresh one for an MCB this will also be carefully considered.