Helmsdale.org

Locals man rail crossing after lights fail

A RAILWAY level crossing in central Sutherland has once again become the centre of controversy after it was claimed its warning lights failed this week.

The crossing at Kinbrace was the scene of an accident three months ago involving local garage owner Gordon Mackenzie.

He escaped unscathed from the wreckage of his Land Rover after it collided with a train at the crossing on the B871 Kinbrace to Syre road.

Afterwards, he said he simply did not see the flashing warning lights.

The local community has had long-standing concerns about the crossing, particularly in relation to the visibility of the lights and the speed of trains.

At one point a campaign was launched in a bid to slow the trains down.

Mr Mackenzie's wife Marie was forced to take action this week after she noticed the warning lights on the level crossing did not appear to be working properly.

The 32-year-old mother of two, who has a good view of the crossing from her nearby home, became concerned on Tuesday when she saw the lights flickering on and off.

She said the driver of the lunchtime train on Tuesday had to get out and switch the lights on by hand.

A worried Mrs Mackenzie phoned the rail authority twice on Tuesday and then contacted the police the following day when the lights remained out of action.

She even went so far as to go out of her house to inform motorists of the situation when she saw them stop at the flickering lights.

Mrs Mackenzie said: "It has now got to the stage where my husband is too scared to go over the crossing until the lights are fixed.

"We're also scared to let our two young children cross the track on their own."

East Sutherland and Edderton councillor Ian Ross contacted Network Rail following Mr Mackenzie's accident and requested a site meeting – which has yet to take place.

Helmsdale Community Council chairwoman Evelyn Mackenzie, who is Gordon Mackenzie's mother and also lives in Kinbrace, said the community were very worried about the safety of the lights.

"There have been problems with the lights for weeks and it has been reported," she said. "The lights were still not working again this morning (Thursday).

"Local people are going to man the crossing to warn traffic in the absence of lights."

A Network Rail spokesman said earlier this week that engineers had looked at the lights on Tuesday but did not have the parts needed to repair them.

He said: "A restriction was placed on the use of the crossing so that trains stopped before they came to it, checked for traffic and then proceeded with caution."

Published on Friday 1 August 2008 by David Mason