Busiest (Pedestrian) Level Crossing in the UK

[whole diary]

[SandTEngineer]

Thought some of you might like to see the busiest pedestrian level crossing in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) (Poole High Street seen from the Basingstoke Panel level crossing CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele-Vision) Monitor)

[bobm]

Goodness... and I thought the Torbay Road crossing by Paignton Station was busy with pedestrians.

[Pb_devon]

Surely there must have been some kind of event??
No vehicles to be seen.

[stuving]

Surely there must have been some kind of event??
No vehicles to be seen.

Pedestrian-only street.

[Brucey]

This really is an "unusual" crossing in that it is right in the middle of a pedestrianised shopping precinct.  The barriers are the same as you would see on a vehicle crossing, except they only stop pedestrians.  And as you can see in SandTEngineer's photograph, it gets very busy.

[JayMac]

Somewhat quieter on the pedestrian front, but still in use by road traffic 44 years ago:


http://www.panoramio.com/photo/35842801

[SandTEngineer]

The only motorised vehicles that use the level crossing are road sweepers and refuse trucks (and the occaisional delivery truck).

[Pb_devon]

Surely there must have been some kind of event??
No vehicles to be seen.

Pedestrian-only street.

Ahhhh, I see now 

[SDS]

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.71784,-1.982895,3a,15y,113.66h,85.82t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s1pczBUYXqZgJpNnl4rdZng!2e0

[JayMac]

A video news report from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) of what Network Rail describe as, "by far the highest risk of all of the crossings in the region."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-28170665

Network Rail unable to close 'danger crossing' in Poole

Concerns have been raised about safety standards on a level crossing in Poole.

Network Rail said the Dorset town's high street crossing posed "by far" the highest risk of all of the crossings in the region.

Recent incidents at the crossing include people deliberately lifting the barriers while they were down, drunks playing chicken with trains and a wheelchair getting stuck on the tracks.

But, despite the incident rate, Network Rail said there were no plans to change or close the crossing.

As is so often the case it is nearly always the users who are making the crossing 'dangerous'. Used properly it is perfectly safe.

[trainer]

As is so often the case it is nearly always the users who are making the crossing 'dangerous'. Used properly it is perfectly safe.

The woman who claims to have been hit by the barrier and trapped, must have walked through after the sirens sounded and the red lights started flashing.  If I did that in my car, I'd expect to be fined - if I was lucky enough to survive.