Drivers still risking lives at Wem level crossing
Drivers are continuing to dice with death at a Shropshire level crossing where 40 incidents have been reported since January, officials said today.
Drivers are continuing to dice with death at a Shropshire level crossing where 40 incidents have been reported since January, officials said today.
Rail officials have been using a long-running campaign to try to get people to use Wem level crossing safely.
But Network Rail today said motorists were still acting dangerously. The firm said 28 of the 40 incidents so far this year had resulted in notices of intended prosecution being sent to rogue drivers.
Bosses said they were exploring the use of a purpose-built marked police van with license plate recognition camera technology to discover the scale of the problem at crossings in England and Wales.
Recent figures showed Wem level crossing was the sixth most misused in Britain, prompting a big safety campaign led by Network Rail and British Transport Police.
Town councillors have previously raised fears about Network Rail's plans to automate signal boxes. They feared doing so would undermine a campaign to improve safety at the crossing. But Network Rail insists its plans would be safe.
