A female pedestrian was killed when she was struck by a train on a level crossing in Etten-Leur, on the railway line linking Breda with Roosendaal. The accident occurred at approximately 07.00 on July 29th, 2011. Trains were delayed until approximately 10.00.

FEVE, the regional rail operator has agreed to award contracts for the upgrade of level crossings in Llanes and Ribasedeva. The level crossings in La Llosa, Poo, Llanes and Colombres in Ribadedeva are to be upgraded from passive to an active open status.

The works valued at EUR 0.529 million will be executed by a joint venture of Intel SA and ICF Ingeniería y Control Ferroviario. The works are expected to be complete within five months.

The Empelseweg level crossing in Rosmalen is being closed to all traffic with effect from August 1st, 2011. The closure is to facilitate the construction of a replacement grade-separated route across the railway

FEVE, the regional rail authority is pressing ahead with work to replace a level crossing on the CA-132 highway in Valle de Villaverde, Cantabria, with a grade-separated route across the railway. The work to build a road-over-rail bridge, undertaken by Movex Vial is to be completed within a five month period. The costs of the works is EUR 0.4 million.

The crossing that is being eliminated is of the passive type and is noted for restricted sighting of approaching trains.

A 31-year-old truck driver was spared a driving ban after he admitted careless driving at Sandwell Magistrates Court in respect of an incident on Cradley Heath level crossing. Instead the court handed him nine penalty points and ordered him to pay GBP 380 in fines and costs.

The court heard how the truck driver was caught on CCTV driving through the crossing as the barriers descended at 10.35am on January 19th 2011.

A 62-year-old cyclist was killed when she was hit by a train on a level crossing in Aurolzmünster, Upper Austria. The accident occurred on an open level crossing at which the cyclist appears not to have yielded to the approaching train.
Open level crossings in Austria saw 13 people killed in 2010 and 12 in 2009.

Thirteen people were killed at the dozens of unguarded railway crossings across.

The Committee for Traffic Safety (KfV) has suggested that CCTV surveillance systems should be used at passive crossings  to raise drivers’ awareness as around 50% of motorists admit to ignoring red lights at crossings which are not also protected by barriers.

(July 28th, 2011)

Work to eliminate the Txarakua level crossing in Eibar at a cost of EUR 2.085 million is underway. Costs of the project are shared between the Basque regional government and the municipality of Eibar.

A further collision on the level crossing on the road linking Bad Sauerbrunn und Wiesen has occurred. In the latest accident on July 27th, 2011, a passenger train collided with a truck. Damage to both truck and train was extensive  although only the truck driver was injured, not seriously.

Investment of EUR 2.07 million to address a level crossing in Villanueva de la Serena, Badajoz, is now under-way. The works will be completed within nine months by a joint venture between Gevor and SANEBAR.

A Horsham District Council working group is considering the impact of level crossing closure times at the level crossing in Billingshurst, Sussex. The review of options has been initiated because the recently introduced pattern of train services allied with pre-existing congestion associated with a retail outlet adjacent to and a school near the level crossing has created an unacceptable impact on the village.

The level crossing on Mettersdorfer Landesstraße in Sankt Andrä, Kreis Wolfsberg, is to be re-evaluated following a further fatal accident. The presently passive level crossing is on a straight rural road with good views of trains approaching. However, despite the good visibility, a further accident this month saw a motorist seriously injured when his car was struck by a passenger train. Although the motorist wasn’t killed, the local fire and rescue service has said that this was a miracle.

In the last 20 years three people have been killed and a further three injured which with the latest accident has led to ÖBB, the national railway, to say that the company will review the protection presently provided to determine if active controls should be provided.

A motorcyclist was killed when hit by a train on the Lache Lane level crossing in Balderton, near Chester. The level crossing at which the accident occurred is of the automatic half-barrier type. The accident which occurred at approximately 17.15 on July 26th, 2011 appears to have occurred when the motorcyclist crossed after lights had activated and the barriers lowered.

Two fatalities on the Via Bergamo level crossing in Monza in May 201, generated a call for action to prevent further casualties on the level crossing (LXinfo June 2011). Now, a further fatality has led to protests that action must be taken by the local and rail authorities to eliminate the Via Bergamo level crossing.

The latest fatality, again of a pedestrian, occurred on July 23rd, 2011 has led to demands that focussing on a vehicular underpass is unnecessary and that the need is for a grade-separated route across the railway for pedestrians and cyclists.

However, the agreement between the municipality and RFI, the Italian national rail infrastructure manager, is for a vehicular underpass on Via Ovid which will cost the city EUR 12 million. Somehow, the authorities appear blind to the imperative of investing a lot less to address risk at arising at the Via Bergamo level crossing on which three people have been killed in 2011.

The latest victim ignored the red lights and lowered half-barriers and proceeded to cross into the path of a train. While calls for action to address the configuration of the crossing or to close it are justified, the question which must be asked is how many people have to be killed before those who misuse the Via Bergamo level crossing change their behaviour when faced with a level crossing closed to them because of an approaching train?

A 43-year-old man escaped with his life by a whisker when his mobility scooter was hit by a train on the Church Street level crossing in Kelvedon, Colchester, Essex. The mobility scooter which was trapped on the level crossing when the barriers lowered was caught a glancing blow and knocked clear by a train travelling at 100 mph.

The collision occurred at approximately 11.00 on June 25th, 2011 resulted in the mobility scooter receiving minor injuries. Some media reports of the incident have suggested that the motor scooter rider was inebriated.

A memorial service, 25-years-on from the level crossing collision that killed nine and injured 42 has been held. The service was held at the Lockington memorial in nearby Driffield that commemorates the accident which occurred on July 26th, 1986 when a passenger train hit a van. Eight of those killed were passengers on the train and the ninth was a boy travelling as a passenger in the van.

Thieves targeting valuable metals stole the batteries powering a level crossing in Cruscades, Aude. The incident caused the crossing to fail safe bringing road and rail traffic to a stand temporaily as the crossing failed safe with barriers lowered.
The incident occurred on July 23rd, 2011

A 61-year-old cyclist was killed on an automatic half-barrier level crossing in Tegelen, Venlo. The accident occurred when the cyclist chose to cross the railway after the barriers had lowered for an approaching train. The accident occurred at 12.40 on July 23rd, 2011.

ProRail, the Dutch national rail infrastructure manager, has completed work to narrow the width of the highway at a level crossing on Brouwerstraat level crossing in Ede. The level crossing is now equipped with full barriers which also close off the level crossing to cyclists and pedestrians.

Network Rail, Britain’s national rail infrastructure manager has initiated consultation with the trades unions representing signalling staff in respect of the company’s long term train control strategy.

The strategy relates to planned investment between 2014 and 2029 and provides for the consolidation of signalling, and by extension level crossing control from 800 signal boxes into 14 regional centres.

The driver for the strategy is the cost savings possible through elimination of staff. The economics of the case are attractive with an additional investment of GBP 1.1 billion needed to generate annual cost savings of GBP 200 million per year by 2029 and GBP 250 million by 2044.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has issued a revised report concerning the fatal accident at Moreton-on-Lugg, near Hereford on January 16th, 2010 (LXinfo March 2011). The changes do not affect the conclusions or recommendations made.

The revised report is available at: http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/
investigation_reports/reports_2011/report042011.cfm.

Closure of the A7 led to road traffic being diverted over the B496. This led to congestion which in turn led to an accident on the Bonaforth level crossing in Hann, Munden. As a result a light truck was struck by a train causing in the region of EUR 20,000 in material damage. Fortunately, the truck driver was uninjured as were all occupants of the passenger train. This accident occurred at approximately noon on July 20th, 2011 when traffic ahead prevented the truck from leaving the level crossing when the automatic half-barriers lowered.

An elderly female motorist was lucky to escape with no more than a broken collar bone when her car became trapped on an active barrier-equipped level crossing in Irigny, which is located to the south of Lyon.

As a result of the first train striking the car, the female motorist received minor injuries. Witnesses were able to extract the motorist before her car was hit by a train travelling in the opposite direction. As a result of the second collision, the car was destroyed.

The double collision occurred at about 12.50 on July 19th, 2011.

A 70-year-old-motorist rear-ended a car which had stopped at a level crossing for an approaching train. This led to the car which had stopped being knocked-on to the railway. The accident occurred at the level crossing on the B96 highway in Neuhof, Zosssen, Kreis Dahmer-Spreewald at 12.35 on July 18th, 2011. Three people were taken to hospital and material damage in the region of EUR was caused.

Reports in the Times and Daily Mail have said that Network Rail, Britain’s national rail infrastructure manager, has settled with a risk control specialist just before a hearing into victimisation convened at an employment tribunal.

The pay-out of GBP 16,000 is said to relate to falsification of level crossing safety records in East Anglia, a claim which was made in 2009 concerning 13 level crossings.

Network Rail told The Times that they had found no evidence to support her claims that level crossing reports had been falsified. They also said that they had held an internal investigation into the list of 13 level crossings and found some discrepancies and an employee lost their job. They are reported by the Daily Mail as having told The Times that the woman is a valued employee who did the right thing in revealing shortcomings within her department. As a result of her actions, significant changes and improvements have been made.

The full story can be found at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2016336/Maryanne-Rosse-Network-Rail-whistleblower-silenced-16k-payout.html#ixzz1Sal6oeqx.

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) as Great Britain’s railway safety regulator annual health and safety report has welcomed the increased focus on level crossing risk in 2010/11, including Network Rail’s establishment of a national level crossing lead and a fundamental review of risk assessment and control.

One of ORR’s key finding was that too many people are involved in the overall risk control processes, with questions about competence and the priority they give to level crossings.
Site specific risk assessment, distinct from the prioritisation provided by the industry’s All level Crossings Risk Model (ALCRM), remains a worry to ORR. Network Rail has set ambitious targets for reducing risk before the end of the current control period (CP), with more planned in CP5.

We welcome Network Rail’s moves to target risks at crossings in long signal sections, such as that involved in a serious collision in East Anglia. Similarly, Network Rail’s programme of work to improve passive crossings with compromised sighting is a positive recognition of a risk that had previously not been tackled.

Network Rail has started to consider less expensive technical solutions to control risk. ORR recognises this to be a positive development and ORR expects to see trials at a number of automatic open crossings, in the next few months.

ORR’s inspection work has found continuing weaknesses with the maintenance of level crossings. We found issues with vegetation, road surfaces, signage and communication with regular users of user-worked crossings, some of which merited enforcement action.

The full ORR safety report can be found at: http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/health_safety_report_2011.pdf.

ADIF, Spain’s national rail infrastructure manager has eliminated the level crossing adjacent to the railway station in Aljaima, Cartama following completion of a new road-over-rail bridge. The replacement bridge which is for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic was built at a cost of EUR 0.764 million. The project was undertaken by Rover Alcisa SA over a five month period.

A Car intruded onto a passive level crossing in Răuseni when the motorist pressed the accelerator pedal rather than the brake pedal as he intended. Both the driver and his passenger escaped without injury in the accident which occurred at 20.00 on July 18th, 2011. The police investigation has concluded that the motorist’s error should be punished with a 60-day suspension of his driving licence.

British Transport Police (BTP) officers with support of staff from Network Rail, the national rail infrastructure manager, mounted a blitz at the much used but regularly mis-used Uttoxeter Road manually controlled barrier crossing with CCTV surveillance in Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent. Despite the presence of BTP officers a man was caught running across the railway after the stop lights had illuminated. In total more than 100 motorists and pedestrians were reminded of the arrangements for the safe use of level crossings.

Noted Dutch Artist Johan Buning (1893 - 1963), who lived his entire life in Amsterdam, is widely collected. An opportunity to acquire an example of his impressionist work featuring a level crossing is available.

For more information, please contact Galerie Nieuw Schoten at: info@galerienieuwschoten.com.

A loaded refuse truck was hit by a freight train on the Orizontului active open level crossing in Deva. The preliminary police investigation has concluded that the truck driver ignored the red lights protecting the railway. Although the truck driver who has been ticked by the police was uninjured, the refuse truck was badly damaged. The accident was reported as having occurred on July 18th, 2011.

The level crossing at the intersection of St.-Peter-Straße and Bahnstraße in Stürzelberg is now in-line for an upgrade with installation of lights and barriers. This follows the City Council voting to contribute EUR 0.054 million towards the cost of the project which has an anticipated cost of EUR 0.539 million. The railway is operated by Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln (HGK) which is now in the process of reaching an agreement with the highways authority. Work is expected to begin in 2012.

A motorist was critically injured when ejected from his vehicle when it was hit by a train. The collision which occurred at approximately 07.00 on July 17th, 2011, was on an automatic half barrier crossing in Saint-Florine, Haute-Loire. A preliminary investigation has indicated that the level crossing controls had functioned correctly before the train involved in the accident arrived at the crossing.

(July 17th, 2011)

After ten years of campaigning by parents and a history of serious accidents the level crossing on Schulstraße in Wasbek, Kreis Neümunster, has been upgraded. Now the crossing has a widened carriageway and is equipped as an automatic half barrier level crossing. Additionally there is an enhanced pavement (sidewalk) protected by barriers. Further, additional stop lights have been installed to ensure that long vehicles do not back-up over the crossing.

Network Rail, the British national infrastructure manager, has announced plans to transfer control of signalling and level crossings presently controlled by Bare lane and Hest Bank to Preston signalling centre. The transfer is expected to be completed in February 2013.

A 67-year-old motorist was trapped on a level crossing in Klosterneuburg, to the North of Wien, he says because the barriers lowered without warning. The motorist had the presence of mind to manoeuvre his car so that it was to one side of and parallel with the tracks. However, this did not prevent the car being hit by a train despite its driver making an emergency brake application. Subsequent to the accident which occurred at 13.00 on July 15th, 2011, the lights at the crossing were tested and found to be working correctly. Thus, this looks like yet another case of a user not reacting to stop lights.

In connection with the development of higher speed rail operations, ADIF, Spain’s national rail infrastructure manager, has eliminated the Ausó and Monza level crossing linking the Alicante neighbourhoods of San Blas and Princesa Mercedes.
The closure of the level crossing on July 1th, 2011 requires vehicular traffic to cross the railway via the Puente Rojo on the Gran Vía. However, a replacement road will probably be constructed when the railway tracks are buried.

(July 15th, 2011)

The level crossing on Stationstraate in Meerssen has reopened after a two-month-long closure which has seen the adjacent highway intersection and level crossing upgraded. In so far as the level crossing is concerned, it is now configured so that pedestrians and cyclists are given a head-start when the crossing opens to road traffic, thereby providing a safer route over the railway for pedestrians and cyclists.

The Railport Brabant project in Tilburg will see an underpass for pedestrians and cyclists provided in lieu of the Rauwbrakenweg level crossing. The crossing will close in mid-2012. However, as the underpass will not be provided until 2014, a diversionary route over a new cycle path will be provided from Rauwbrakenweg to De Kraan where there is another level crossing which is to remain.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has announced that it is carrying out an investigation into an incident which occurred at the level crossing at Llanbadarn, near Aberystwyth, Dyfed, on the railway between Aberystwyth and Machynlleth, on June 19th, 2011.

The incident in question occurred at 21:52 when a train passed over the crossing while the barriers were raised, and came to a stop with the front of the train about 40 metres beyond the crossing. There were no road vehicles or pedestrians on the crossing at the time.

Llanbadarn level crossing, which is on the A4120, is an automatic half-barrier crossing, with operation monitored locally (ABCL). For trains travelling from Aberystwyth towards Machynlleth, operation of the crossing is normally initiated by the driver pressing a plunger on the platform at Aberystwyth station shortly before the train is due to depart. There is a driver’s crossing indicator, positioned a short distance on the approach side of the crossing, which normally displays a flashing red light. This changes to a flashing white light when the crossing equipment has operated normally, i.e. the red road traffic signals are showing and the barriers have lowered. Passenger trains are permitted to pass over the crossing at 65 km/h (40 mph).

This section of the national rail network is equipped with the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), which was commissioned in March 2011, and replaced the previous signalling system on the Cambrian lines between Shrewsbury, Aberystwyth and Pwllheli. The status of automatic level crossings is not indicated on the driver’s cab display.

The RAIB’s preliminary examination has found that the operation of the crossing had been initiated at Aberystwyth by the train driver, but that by the time the train reached it the crossing had ‘timed out’ and re-opened to road traffic.

The investigation will examine the sequence of events leading up to the incident, the risk associated with the level crossing, the history of previous incidents involving train driver error at this location, and the factors that influenced the behaviour of the driver on the approach to the crossing.

The RAIB’s investigation is independent of any investigations by the safety authority (the Office of Rail Regulation).
The RAIB will publish a report, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of its investigation. This report will be available on the RAIB website.

An investigation has been launched to establish why the driver of a heavily loaded municipal bus crossed over the railway after lights protecting a level crossing had activated. The incident which was reported by a member of the public occurred at approximately 11.00 on July 11th, 2011.

The allegation attributed to a passenger on the bus is that the driver of the bus was in a hurry because the bus was running late and that the level crossing had been closed to road traffic for around one minute prior to the bus driver taking his vehicle across the railway. The complainant maintains that the bus driver should be suspended from his job as his behaviour was, allegedly, wholly unprofessional.

Network Rail, Britain’s national rail infrastructure manager has awarded a re-signalling project within which five level crossings will be renewed to Amey. The scheme addresses level crossings within the areas controlled by Thrumpton and West Burton signal boxes located close to the Nottinghamshire – Yorkshire county line. The contract with Amey covers detailed design, construction, testing and commissioning works.

A further contract awarded to Amey is to renew life expired equipment at four Manually Controlled Barrier - CCTV type level crossings in Devon – Stoke Canon, Pinhoe, Topsham and Paignton.  This involves carrying out detailed design, construction, testing and commissioning for the upgraded MCB-CCTV crossings.

Polski Linie Kolejowe, the Polish national rail infrastructure manager has invited tenders for the construction of two grade-separated intersections and the consequential elimination of two level crossings. Both of the grade-separation projects are on the Warszawa – Gdańsk rail corridor and are located in Ciechanów.
At both locations the tender specification is for a road-over-rail bridge, associated highway works and elimination of the level crossing. Tenders have to be submitted by September 5th, 2011.

(July 14th, 2011)

Two occupants of a road vehicle and a passenger on the train which hit the car were injured in a collision which occurred at 18.23 on July 13th, 2011. The location of the accident was a level crossing of the Schleswig-Holstein Bahn located at Bünzerfeld, Aukrug, Kreis Rendsburg-Eckernförde.

A collision between a train and an articulated truck on the Strada Pontasso level crossing in Vicofertile, near Parma, resulted in injuries to 28 people, of which 26 were to those travelling on the train. Of those injured both occupants of the truck and two of those who were on the train received serious injuries.

The collision which occurred at 08.40 on July 12th, 2011, was on an automatic half-barrier level crossing which is reported as having been functioning correctly at the time of the accident. A witness has reported that the truck driver sought to cross after the barriers had lowered for the approaching train.
Despite sustaining major damage, the train did not derail as a result of the collision.

Sleaford Town Council has responded to the results of a town poll organised by activists opposed to the closure of the Southgate level crossing in Sleaford, Lincolnshire (LXinfo June 2011) by meeting with them to discuss a way ahead.

The overwhelming majority of those voting were opposed to the closure of the crossing consequent upon the construction of a new link road and an associated road-over-rail bridge. Now, the town council has said that its position for some while has been that closure should not be made permanent until it was proven that the new route over the railway was effective.

North Kesteven District Council, has as the planning authority, now asked the County, which is the highways authority to develop an at-grade solution that responds to the depth of feeling within the community that the grade-separated solution for pedestrian use is a retrograde step. The conceptual answer is that the Southgate level crossing should be retained for pedestrian use with all vehicular traffic diverted as presently planned.

The faculty of traffic science at the Technical University of Dresden has advertised a research vacancy for student assistants to study level crossing safety.
Suggested topics for research are:

• Securing level crossings where roads run essentially parallel to the railway
• Analysis and evaluation of the effectiveness of audible signals
• Further development of guidelines for co-existence of level crossing and adjacent traffic light controls
• Further work on the effectiveness of pavement markings in association with level crossings
• Legal, psychological and organisational aspects of safety of level crossings

Further information is available from Dipl.-Ing. Eric Schöne at eric.schoene@tu-dresden.de.

A truck driver whose vehicle became entangled with lowering level crossing barriers has been fined EUR 80 for failing to stop at the red lights protecting the crossing. The incident was on the Via Livorno level crossing in Empoli. Given the potential for harm, the EUR penalty isn’t an effective deterrent to others minded to run the red lights at level crossings.

The warmer weather brings out those who are intent on fooling around level crossings. An example of this being investigated by British Transport Police concerns a group of teenagers who have being playing chicken on the Spooner’s level crossing in Littlehaven, near Horsham, Sussex. The investigation has been launched following an incident at 16.30 on July 5th, 2011 that left a train driver feeling that he had hit one of the youths who dashed across in front of his train at the last minute.

A horse and cart loaded with scrap metal were hit by a train on a passive level crossing in Jibou with fatal consequences for the horse. Both adults and three children riding on the cart escaped without injury in the accident which occurred on July 11th, 2011.

The level crossing closure programme of RFI, the Italian national rail infrastructure manager continues to bear fruit with a further crossing in Cerignola, Foggia, eliminated. The latest level crossing to be closed is that on Provincial Highway 72 that has been replaced with a bridge. 

This latest grade separation is the fifth of six to be executed in accordance with an agreement between RFI and the Foggia provincial government. The sixth of the agreed grade separations will be completed in September 2011 when a crossing in the municipality of San Severo is replaced by a bridge.

The total investment of RFI for the elimination of six level crossings and their replacement bridges has been EUR 8.6 million.

A woman and her passenger were able to escape from the car in which they were travelling when it became trapped on a level crossing in St-Martin-du-Mont, Ain. The woman’s car was then almost immediately hit by a freight train. Following the collision, the female motorist was breathalysed, testing positive, and arrested by the police. The incident occurred on July 10th, 2011.

The death of a pedestrian on a level crossing in Waldkraiburg, Kreis Mühldorf am Inn at 19.30 on July 9th, 2011 is presently unexplained and the subject of an on-going police investigation.

ProRail, the Dutch national rail infrastructure manager has taken action to address the arrangements at the Oostmolenweg level crossing close to the hospital providing psychiatric care to better address risks associated with those who are intent on taking their own life (LXinfo January 2011).

Having determined that closure of the level crossing was not a practical option, ProRail has installed fencing either side of the level crossing and installed cameras looking along the railway right-of-way to identify trespass at and in the vicinity of the level crossing.

The staffed Juncaleira level crossing in Vale Figueira, Santarém, was at one time available for use by motorists round-the-clock. However, REFER, Portugal’s national rail infrastructure manager is seeking to further reduce the hours that the crossing is attended in order to reduce costs.

Already, the six-hour closure from midnight to 06.00 has angered residents who consider that they have a right to use the public highway at all times of the day and night.

Now, REFER has proposed to the municipality that the crossing is only staffed for 80 hours each week. As one might expect this has drawn an angry reaction from those who depend on the crossing which is used by more than 1,000 vehicles each day. The proposal from REFER is being contested on the basis that they have no authority to unilaterally reduce the hours that a public road is available for use by motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

Agreement in principle has been reached that the automatic half-barrier level crossing in Vigaun, Langweis, will be eliminated in 2013 when a highway underpass is completed. The underpass in Tauglwaldes and associated highway works which has an estimated cost of EUR 21 million will be funded jointly by ÖBB, the Austrian national rail infrastructure manager and other public funds.

Currently, an environmental impact statement is being prepared. Likewise, action is in hand to reach agreement with landowners affected by the grade-separation.

The Inquest into the death of a man on the Waterloo Road automatic half-barrier level crossing in Wokingham on March 6th, 2010 (LXinfo April 2010) has returned a misadventure verdict. At the time of the accident the circumstances were presented in a way which suggested that the man took his own life.
Now, following the Inquest, the victim’s family has called for an end to automatic half-barrier crossings arguing that safety would be improved if quad-barriers were introduced

An elderly couple were injured when the camper van in which they were travelling was hit by a train on a level crossing in Littleport, Cambridgeshire. The circumstances leading to the van being hit on the automatic half-barrier level crossing on the A10 Littleport bypass appear to relate to a brake failure on the camper van. Realising that he would be unable to stop before reaching the level crossing at which the barriers were lowered for an approaching train, the driver of the camper van steered around a car that was standing at the level crossing and into the path of the train. The accident occurred at 16.40 on July 5th, 2011.

A woman was seriously injured when the car in which she was travelling as a passenger was destroyed in a collision in Amstetten. The motorist appears to have ignored the stop lights at the level crossing and driven – with a trailer in tow – into the path of a train which hit the trailer and dragged the car along the railway. The accident occurred on July 6th, 2011.

A Serbian national was killed when the car in which he was travelling was hit by a train on a level crossing in Mórágy. The accident occurred during the afternoon of July 6th, 2011. Four others who were travelling in the car received lesser injuries.
The accident was caused by the motorist ignoring the red light protecting the railway.

An eight-year-old child died in hospital of injuries sustained when he was hit by a train on a level crossing in St. Pölten. The accident occurred at 12.42 on July 5th, 2011 on an active level crossing in the Spratzen neighbourhood.

A 79-year-old woman has been killed on a level crossing in Avilés. The accident occurred on the Calle del Muelle level crossing at 12.31 on July 5th, 2011.

A male pedestrian was killed when struck by a train on the Summer Road level crossing in Thames Ditton, Greater London, at 06.50 on July 5th, 2011.  A British Transport Police source has indicated that they were treating the fatality as non-suspicious.

(July 5th, 2011)

Dr Therese Coffey, the Suffolk Coastal member of Parliament is lobbying Network Rail, the national rail infrastructure manager, for an upgrade of a level crossing in Melton, near Woodbridge.
Dr Coffey maintains that the active open level crossing is dangerous and that it should be upgraded by the addition of half-barriers. Dr Coffey also says that other crossings of this type are to be found in her constituency and that these too should be upgraded.

Network Rail maintains that the level crossing in Melton is safe if used properly. However, the rail infrastructure manager has indicated that it will respond to Dr Coffey’s concerns.

Based on a witness statement and a preliminary police investigation, the death of a 50-year-old woman on a level crossing in Castelnau-le-Lez, near Montpellier, is considered to have been intentional. The fatality which occurred at 17.30 on July 3rd, 2011, occurred after the woman had been seen loitering in the vicinity of the level crossing at which she ended her life.

Trains were delayed up to 150 minutes as a consequence of the fatality.

Network Rail, Britain’s national rail infrastructure manager, is to invest GBP 0.1 million a to spend £100k on improvement work at the Railway Road level crossing in Downham Market, Norfolk (LXinfo June 2011). This is the estimated cost of widening the level crossing roadway and footpath in order to improve the route used by pedestrians since the station level crossing was closed for safety reasons.

The saga of the station pedestrian level crossing has a history going back several years with Network Rail’s for a footbridge rejected by the planning authority. Network Rail has indicated that it had spent GBP 0.1 million on design and development when this project was cancelled.