Near-Misses At West Sussex Level Crossing Prompts Safety Review And Temporary Closure

Video footage of people misusing a level crossing near Goring-by-Sea has led to action by Network Rail

A CCTV camera in Ferring, West Sussex has captured footage of children misusing a level crossing – putting their lives in danger.

The shocking footage even shows one young person appearing to urinate on a stretch of the railway where trains pass through at up to 70mph and is just the latest in a series of incidents that include several near-misses reported by railway staff.

The incidents of people walking on the tracks or playing on the foot crossing at Clappers Lane, near Goring-by-Sea, have been reported to British Transport Police (BTP).

A number of measures have already been put in place to tackle the issue including extra signage, installing cameras, and hosting educational events.

However, following this series of incidents the crossing has been temporarily closed while Network Rail looks to install further measures to improve the safety of the crossing and deter further incidents of misuse.

As well as the risk of being struck by a train, the electric ‘third’ rail – which powers trains - carries more than enough electricity to kill, and is always on.

Fast-moving trains, slippery lineside conditions and unsteady ground combine to create a serious risk of devastating life-changing injuries, or loss of life.

Action has now been taken by Network Rail to temporarily close the crossing, but four incidents were recorded in January alone – with a further 22 since 2019, including:

• on 14 January, when a Network Rail signaller witnessed someone running across the level crossing when a train was just moments from passing through;

• on 13 January, when a train driver witnessed a person crossing with a bike as the train approached, missing them by seconds;

• on 12 January, when a train driver reported a near miss with a person who crossed as the train approached, again missing them by seconds;

• on 6 January, when a person walked across the track in front of the train. While the train was travelling slowly at the time, they were clearly unaware of the danger.

Stuart Tautz, Operations Risk Advisor for Network Rail said:

“We take seriously our responsibility to educate people on using the railway safely. We’ve already spoken to local schools about the dangers of not using this level crossing properly, because we need to get the message out there that level crossings just aren’t safe places to play or mess around on.

“The risk of being electrocuted is much greater than you may think, and so we’re urgently getting the message out to children and their parents that there is a risk to life.

“We’re hoping to install warning lights (known as miniature stop lights) at the crossing to give people more confidence in using the crossing, but there are concerns that these lights will not stop deliberate misuse and dangerous behaviours already captured by CCTV and therefore, we may need to take firmer action.”

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex route director, said:

“These aren’t just isolated incidents, but some of many that we’ve recorded at this location in the last five years.

"What we’ve seen is just the incidents that are reported, and some of these recent incidents are even more serious because children are involved.

“Our cameras do keep a watch over this crossing, but they are not monitored constantly, unless we’re aware of an incident that’s taken place, so we’re asking people to please take care and take responsibility for their own safety at locations such as this.

“I’d like to thank West Sussex County Council for the part that they have played in granting us the permission to close the crossing while we review the options we have for its future.”

The newly-released video footage from the Clappers Lane crossing follows last week’s launch of a hard-hitting campaign that highlighted that more than 55% of people in the South East are unaware of the electric rail.