Drivers dice with death at level crossing

The claim comes after rail bosses launched a safety campaign over the Holmes Junction crossing in Psalters Lane—one of the most misused in Yorkshire.

Businessman Lee Morris, whose transport premises are just over the crossing, said that drivers were often forced to wait an hour and on one occasion were held up for three hours.

He added: “I travel over the crossing probably ten times a day, backwards and forwards and you always get stuck.

“It can be ten minutes or up to an hour, if there are six or seven trains going through. Recently there was a fault on the line and I was there for just over two hours.

“And if somebody damages the crossing, such as when somebody ripped the barrier off, 30 of us were there for three hours while the emergency response team came out.

“I’m used to it but it’s very annoying and frustrating and I understand why people fly under the barriers as they come down to try and get through.”

According to Network Rail the Holmes crossing has been damaged three times this year by vehicles colliding with the barriers, resulting in delays to both rail and road users.

It also has a high number of reports of drivers trying to jump the lights and beat the barriers.

Safety teams from Network Rail recently handed out “Don’t Run The Risk” leaflets spelling out the chilling truth that taking a chance at a level crossing might be the last thing you do.

Rotherham MP Denis MacShane has backed the campaign and welcomed the Holmes crossing being identified to ensure such crossings can be used safely by everyone.

Network Rail have denied that motorists can be left waiting for hours and urged people to complain if there were long delays.

But Mr Morris, manager at North Star Transport, which has been at the site for ten years, retorted: “I have spoken to Network Rail in the past and they say that if a train is coming from Sheffield that’s why the barriers stay down.

“Myself and other businesses also had to complain to stop them closing the crossing altogether to carry out maintenance work and eventually they did it on a Friday and Saturday night so it could stay open for us.

“I understand what they are saying about the dangers and why people have to wait, but I don’t see why they couldn’t lift the barrier up for a few minutes after one train has gone through rather than keep us waiting until the next train has gone.”

Mr Morris has also complained to Network Rail about the bad bend on which the crossing is sited which has created problems for lorries and large vehicles.

He added: “There will be an accident one day with a lorry on the crossing because it is difficult for them to get round.

“Lorries have damaged the crossing because they have got stuck when the barriers come down.”