Protest at 'unsafe' Smithy Bridge level crossing

School children want a safer crossing at Smithy Bridge

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Concerned parents, residents and school children gathered at Smith Bridge level crossing today (Wednesday 12 March) to show that they are serious about getting the crossing re-manned.

A petition is currently circulating after residents deemed the crossing a “risk”. The petition which began on Sunday has already received over 1,200 signatures.

Carran O’Grady, who helped to start the petition along with local residents Deborah Mallon and Wendy Clegg, said: “The level crossing is not safe. We want reassurances that it is going to be made safe.”

Residents within the area are concerned that trains have travelled through Smithy Bridge station without the safety barriers being in place since the manned system was abolished.

Carran added: “I have been driving and have seen the trains go through when the barrier is up. The lights were flashing so I understand that something is going on but my children don’t understand that. It is an accident waiting to happen.”

A number of traffic jams have also been caused due to the barriers failing to return to the upright position. “When the barriers jam, our community is stuck. No one can get through. Ambulances can’t get through. We are just stuck for a number of hours,” said Carran.

Smithy Bridge Primary School is also supporting the petition, along with a number of local businesses. “There are over 600 pupils at that school so the area needs to be safe,” added Carran.

The crossing was changed to an automated system at the end of January as a way of upgrading the systems to a "more modernised way of signalling".

A spokesperson for Network Rail said: “The crossing at Smithy Bridge has been replaced with an automated barrier as part of our commitment to provide a safer, more efficient and reliable railway. The crossing barriers are designed to fail safe, which means the crossing would not be available to both traffic and train use at the same time.

"We apologise for any inconvenience that recent technical issues may have caused and we will continue to monitor the crossing in the future.”

Carran added: “We just want reassurances that the crossing will be made safe and once we have that, that will be it.”