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Barriers Installed At Shiplake Crossing
18 March 2013, 17:08 | Updated: 18 March 2013, 19:01
Safety barriers have been installed at Shiplake level crossing after 13 near misses since 2009.
in 2011 a man was seriously injured after his car was hit by a train - while Network Rail say there have been 46 reported incidents of misuse in the last 5 years.
They have put up half-barriers which means they didn't have to rebuild the whole crossing, but will stop drivers going over when the warning lights are showing.
Patrick Hallgate, route managing director for Network Rail’s Western route, said: “Shiplake is one of the crossings in the Thames Valley area that’s particularly prone to misuse and the barriers will act as an extra deterrent.
"We have developed and successfully tested an affordable, innovative system that will improve the safety of open level crossings. We are committed to improve safety on railways and across the region we are upgrading level crossings or seeking to close them when possible.”
The new technology is set to be rolled out to other open level crossings in the Western route, which runs from London Paddington to Oxford, the Cotswolds, Swindon, Bristol and the West Country, although the programme of works is yet to be finalised.
It's part of a £130m programme to improve level crossing safety.