Sir, – "Why are more drivers clipping level crossing barriers?" writes Justin Comiskey ("The level-crossing crashes that halt your commute", October 24th). Stupidity is the obvious answer but perhaps that stupidity is nourished by frustration at the length of time DART barriers close that crossing.
I live near four DART level-crossings. The time barriers are closed varies depending on location but up to seven minutes is a regular occurrence. Over the last year or so, closure times have lengthened further with barriers that used to rise immediately after a train passing now taking a further 30 seconds. It’s as if we now have ghost DARTs following the real ones.
From time to time I drive in the UK, France, Portugal and Spain. It is very noticeable that level-crossings there stop traffic for much shorter times than here.
Recently in a Welsh town I timed barriers closed for just over two minutes. Last year in France I saw barriers down for a bare 90 seconds. Road-traffic accident statistics for either jurisdiction do not highlight barrier-controlled railway crossings as been problematic locations.
On what basis are DART level-crossing barrier closing times decided by Irish Rail?
Electric trains like the DART do great things for Ireland’s carbon footprint but it’s all undone by unnecessary pollution from the lengthy traffic delays where road and DART meet. Other countries with vast rail networks have shown it need not be like this – why just us?
– Yours, etc,
DAVID REDDY,
Sandymount,
Dublin 4.