Graphic images of crashes at level crossings released by Irish Rail

Irish Rail has released videos of vehicles crashing into level crossings in a bid to raise awareness of the need to be safety conscious when interacting with the railway.

The videos graphically show how even a speeding cyclist can be caught out when they get under the first gate and go straight across the junction only to slam into the second gate which had been lowered seconds earlier. In that case the cyclist was bounced back into the junction and ended up on the ground inches from the train tracks.

In another a car appears to have moved on to the junction box to allow a separate vehicle to emerge from a laneway only to find the level crossing gated lowered on to the car roof.

A third video shows a tractor and trailer laden with bales of hay travelling at night smashing through both sets of gates as they were lowered.

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The videos were released as part of European Safety Week in collaboration with the Garda and the Road Safety Authority. As part of its contribution to road safety Irish Rail held information briefings for the public at crossings at Lisangry, Limerick; Sandymount, Dublin 4; and Tinare, near Ballymahon in Co Longford.

Irish Rail also revealed that so far this year there have been 71 incidents at level crossings across the rail network, of which 30 resulted in crossing damage or injury to the crossing user.

The majority of level crossing incidents involve road vehicles colliding with crossing gates or barriers-resulting in damage to the crossing/barriers, the company said.

The most frequent locations involved in incidents are: Sutton (13 incidents); Serpentine Avenue (8); Sydney Parade (8); Lansdowne Road (7); Bray (6); Sandymount (5); Merrion (4); Clonsilla (2) and Baldoyle (2).

There are currently 902 level crossings on the Iarnród Éireann network. These are a combination of automated CCTV crossings, manned crossings and unmanned user-operated accommodation crossings.

However Irish Rail is working to eliminate as many level crossings as it can. The company closed 93 crossings between 2014 and October 2023. A railway order has also been lodged with Bord Pleanála to eliminate seven level crossings on the Cork Mainline known as the Cork Line Level Crossings Project. Irish Rail said there was an onus on users to use crossings responsibly. It advised:

• At automatic crossings stop safely when the warning lights begin to flash. Never go through crossings when barriers are about to lower or lowering;
• At staff-operated crossings respect gatekeepers, whose role is to ensure your safety and that of rail users. Stop immediately when the gatekeeper requests it;
• At user-operated crossings always stop before crossing to check the line, check the line again after crossing, and always close the gate after use for your safety and that of others.

Level crossing accidents account for 1 per cent of road deaths in Europe but 31 per cent of all rail fatalities. In Ireland there have been no level crossing fatalities since 2010, but Irish Rail said vigilance is essential.

Superintendent Seán O’Reardon from Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said: “Level crossings can be dangerous and should always be approached with caution. Never go through a level crossing while warning lights indicate that it is unsafe to do so. There is no chance worth taking.”

Jim Meade, chief executive of Irish Rail, said: “The number of incidents at level crossings is still too high. In recent months we have had a number of very worrying incidents and level crossings, and we would appeal to all road-users to obey the rules of the roads at level crossings. They are for everyone’s safety.”

Link to video https://we.tl/t-j9us8OzLsQ