Great Western Coffee Shop

From the Bournemouth Echo (http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/districts/poole/14129083.Network_Rail_wants_to_close_Poole_town_centre_level_crossing___because_it_s_a_safety_risk/)

So is that Network Rail admitting that they've compromised safety by moving the control of the crossing to a remote location?

And deflecting blame onto the users?

Glad I'm not the only one who read it like that.

How local was the control previously?

Whilst the control wasn't previously right next to the crossing (I believe it was controlled from the box at the north end of Poole station), it does appear that control from Basingstoke is being compromised because of workload and the nature of the crossing.

I don't have an issue with the move to ROCs per se, but I do think there are some level crossings that should retain local control.

Well at the time of design NR were warned......... ::) :P

(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m92/cbrailways/photo%203a_zpsud9osarf.jpg)
Image (c)2015 SandTEngineer

It does read that way. If the crossing is closed, I hope a suitable footbridge or underpass will be provided.

It has a footbridge already that you can just see in the bottom RH corner of the photograph in my post above....... :-\

Note: For those that don't know the area the level crossing is located in the middle of Poole pedestrianised shopping centre.  The only road vehicles authorised to use it are emergency vehicles, council vehicles and delivery vehicles.

If people, small minority I know, used the crossing properly and didn't abuse it then Network Rail wouldn't feel the need to close it.

There's only so much educating you can do before the decision has to be taken to close it.

Question is, what was the misuse like when it was controlled more locally?

If misuse has worsened since control moved to Basingstoke then perhaps the blame is more on the side of Network Rail.

Although if you apply that logic to the rest of the road network, every highway and byway in the country would be closed.

I haven't been to Wokingham since the road layout around the crossing was remodelled, but I always thought that would also be a difficult set of barriers to control via CCTV.

With the recent road changes in the area it would probably be easier now with CCTV than it would have been, but that's not to say I'd encourage it :D

Indeed, but Network Rail are very sensitive towards level crossings and if they can close them they will as it lessons the risk of injury or death.

As far as I know, re-signalling and transfer of control of the Wokingham station crossing to Basingstoke is still due in 2017. That might be CCTV or just radar - if that rather questionable arrangement is still being considered. I would hope that any decision will depend on observing how the new arrangement works.

The new traffic-light junction has improved the traffic conditions at the crossing - shorter queues, more free space around the barriers, more orderly traffic most of the time. However, it introduces a new kind of indiscipline: drivers ignoring the banned turns and even the no entry signs. This surprises other road users, of all kinds, so leads to near accidents (and potentially to accidents too) and abrupt evasive actions.

And of course there are the pedestrians, who are not subject to the new lights anyway.

Yeah I've seen this happening too. My observation of sequence for lights is that all go to red before barriers start to come down, barriers then start coming down, and then some traffic is allowed to continue (obv the ones that don't go over the crossing)

When plans first come out for the crossing I wasn't sure, but I've used it nearly everyday and it's kind of grown on me and I think it's worked pretty well.

Video clip showing the reason why Network Rail wants to close Poole level crossing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoaV45nOIZc

Sheer stupidity shown by pedestrians using the crossing after the lights and alarm have come on.

Just walked ouver this - & then observed.

Yup, they're still at it.

What makes it even more crazy is there's the bridge able bodied people can use if they can't wait a few minutes for the train to pass.

Darwin award for these people I think .

Last year, Network Rail were saying that to close the crossing there would need to be an access for all footbridge and compulsory purchases with a huge town redevelopment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-31682338

Perhaps they need to install one of these ;): http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/new-railway-crossing-gates-signal-the-end-of-traffic-issues-in-redcar

Health Warning: There is a link to a video download showing the gates in operation but you really need to watch it to understand how they work ::).  The file is 78mb in size and takes a fair time to download.

...and here is the reason a bridge or subway would be difficult to build without deconstruction of the shopping centre....

(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m92/cbrailways/IMG_0377_zpsp8dwugsx.jpg)
Image (c)2015 SandTEngineer

But isn't there a bridge in place already? I think I saw one when I was there at the weekend....

Yes, its just to the right of the level crossing (you can just see the lower part of the steps).  However, the existing bridge is not compliant to modern standards.

Edit: Photograph of the footbridge added lower down in the thread.

Indeed, but they ought to be able to install lifts there shouldn't they? Otherwise it would have to be a subway at quite high cost.

A complete replacement of the crossing requires access for all.

There's also the issue of vehicular access for the shops and businesses north of the crossing.

Lifts surely would do that?

I appreciate your other comment though - maybe access from the north side could be gained somehow for deliveries?

Here is a photograph of the footbridge:

(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m92/cbrailways/IMG_0365_zpsqcmwj9ew.jpg)
Image (c)2015 SandTEngineer

No worries: I've driven my Mercedes Sprinter delivery van over much trickier features than that.  :P ::) ;D

Lifts in theory maybe. But this is a public thoroughfare. Maintaining lift access 24/7 isn't easy. Or cheap.

My own preference would be for the crossing to remain as is, but with an attendant, say from 7am-10pm. A similar arrangement to that used at Red Cow crossing in Exeter. I believe the attendants there are funded in part by the local authority.

Perhaps they could then provide a little box next to the crossing for the attendant to sit in, and what would further enhance it would be for the attendant to be able to clear the signals once the gates are safely down from the box, so that the signallers 50 miles away could concentrate on other things.

If the attendant left the crossing to do that I suspect it would be invaded by pedestrians again. 

Rather an attractive bridge.