Motorists and pedestrians urged to use crossings safely

Smithy Bridge Level Crossing

Thousands of people are risking their lives and those of others at level crossings, say British Transport Police (BTP).

Officers will be carrying out extra patrols and activities across the country as they warn of the dangers of crossing misuse during Operation Look, a week of action which started on Monday (22 June).

The initiative comes as BTP reveals it recorded 3,615 offences at crossings in the last year, with incidents ranging from trespass to failing to stop at signals.

The majority of those dealt with were motorists who failed to obey signals and warning lights, risking their lives and those of others simply to shave a few minutes off their journey.

Most of those drivers (1,228) agreed to attend one of BTP’s Driver Awareness courses. The vast majority of those who attend these courses do not re-offend.

As part of the week, the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Group will be performing monologues from their play, Off The Level, which reinforces the importance of using crossings safely.

The monologues, which highlight the consequences of crossing misuse, and have the backing of both BTP and Network Rail, will be performed close to crossings, with officers and crossing managers on hand to talk to the public about the issues raised.

Inspector Becky Warren said: “We will not hesitate to enforce the law, but convincing people to change their habits at crossings is a vital part of what we do.

“We spend a lot of time talking to schools and businesses about the importance of safe level crossing use, and we want to use this week to engage with the public who use level crossings on a daily basis.

“We are delighted to be working with the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Group and hope the messages in their monologues will strike a chord with the public.”

Darren Furness, head of level crossings at Network Rail said: “Britain has one of the safest railway networks in the world however, level crossings do pose a risk and everyone needs to take care when crossing.

“Alongside British Transport Police, our awareness campaigns aim to help everyone who uses level crossings, be that people on foot, bike or car, know the risks that exist and how to use crossings safely so that they can cross with confidence.”