tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post2484133055282064742..comments2024-03-29T08:14:43.839+00:00Comments on Public Transport Experience: Denched at Drenchworth (2)fatbusblokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06833340546527596517noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-37526581655095750832019-11-12T15:13:54.686+00:002019-11-12T15:13:54.686+00:00The Rail Accident Investigation Reports make sober...The Rail Accident Investigation Reports make sobering reading, as every year pedestrians are killed at "user-worked" crossings. In some cases the people crossing have clearly been inattentive, stupid or careless, but not always. There are cases where single-track reversible train and tram line) parallel each other, so people who have seen a tram passing from right to left in front of them look to the left before crossing, see that there's nothing coming from that side and cross the line - only to be hot by a train coming in the same direction as the first one. Then there are places where foliage has been allowed to grow to such a degree that one has to put oneself in a dangerous place if one is to see that a train is coming (this even happened to a car on the very low-speed and rarely used Aldeburgh branch a few years ago). And there are places where the line speed has increased to the extent that anyone (such as an OAP) who walks relatively slowly can check carefully before starting to cross yet still get hit by a train coming upon them before they've got to the other side. Once can see why Network Rail tries to take such care (and why it wants to eliminate as many crossings as it can) but it is very difficult to think through the criteria for every single crossing in the country. Even putting visible or audible warning signs can be an issue; not only are they expensive but they can be very intrusive if they're on a busy line in a residential area. There are no easy answers!Andrew Kleissnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-51859239898423793182019-11-12T07:29:25.716+00:002019-11-12T07:29:25.716+00:00I used to cross the South Wales Main Line via an u...I used to cross the South Wales Main Line via an uncontrolled foot crossing every day as a child. There wasn't even a telephone. Trains didn't go at 100mph but the view of the line was limited by a curve in one direction and a bridge in the other. We were taught to check that the signal arm on the down line was horizontal before crossing, although there was no way of checking the up line. We survived.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com