Traffic jam tailing back over AHB crossing

[satisnek]

[AHB = Automatic half barrier]

This is not hypothetical, I saw it for real yesterday along Findern Lane in south Derbyshire, where the traffic queuing to get into Mercia Marina for the illuminated drone display was tailing back over the crossing all the way to the Canal Bridge junction in Willington (I felt sorry for the poor old V3 bus, as well as motorists wishing to go straight past, caught up in it). I thought at the time that it would only take one muppet to stop on the crossing when a train was just about to 'strike-in', with no means of moving out of the way, and I for one wouldn't want to be around to see the result. But what I did actually witness, bearing in mind that there's no yellow box or clear demarcation of clearance on the exit from the crossing, were drivers going over the crossing once there was what they perceived to be sufficient distance between the tracks and the car in front. Thus the potential for a near-miss was very real, which can't be much fun for train drivers.

I've read Richard Westwood's book on the Hixon crash, as well as the official report, and am aware of the modifications made to these crossings afterwards, as well as many being subsequently eliminated or converted. However, I'm left with the distinct impression that much was swept under the carpet and remains there to this day.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What's the issue provided that you cross with care, the lights aren't flashing / alarm isn't sounding when you are about to cross, AND if the road is clear on the other side of the crossing?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

What's the issue provided that you cross with care, the lights aren't flashing / alarm is sounding, AND if the road is clear on the other side of the crossing?

I think the issue was that with cars queuing over the crossing, the road wasn't clear on the other side

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I think the issue was that with cars queuing over the crossing, the road wasn't clear on the other side

OP was talking about drivers going over the crossing once there was what they perceived to be sufficient distance between the tracks and the car in front.

Moot point as to whether that constitutes the road being "clear" on the other side, I would assert that it does.

 

[221129]

I thought at the time that it would only take one muppet to stop on the crossing when a train was just about to 'strike-in', with no means of moving out of the way

Is this not the whole point of AHBs? So that vehicles trapped on the crossing could exit?

Not that any vehicle should be stopped on the crossing in the first place but unfortunately too many idiots are given licences.

I think the issue was that with cars queuing over the crossing, the road wasn't clear on the other side

But they weren't. They were waiting for space to become available on the otherside.

 

[CAF397]

In this scenario the AHB should be taken under local control by a crossing attendent. Its one of the clauses - where the normal flow of traffic is affected by emergency road works, or an accident.

 

[Tomnick]

What's the issue provided that you cross with care, the lights aren't flashing / alarm isn't sounding when you are about to cross, AND if the road is clear on the other side of the crossing?

There is no issue provided that you cross with care. The problem is that far too many motorists are likely to start to cross without checking that there's room for them on the other side! I'd expect to at least be cautioned when approaching such a crossing, once the railway's aware.

 

[dk1]

Once known about, the controlling box will often put on a caution. Happens frequently at Waterbeach if there are issues with the A14.

 

[Llanigraham]

In this scenario the AHB should be taken under local control by a crossing attendent. Its one of the clauses - where the normal flow of traffic is affected by emergency road works, or an accident.

Agreed, however often the problem is that the organisers of events such as these do not take the crossing into account in their access planning and do not notify Network Rail that the event is taking place.

 

[satisnek]

OP was talking about drivers going over the crossing once there was what they perceived to be sufficient distance between the tracks and the car in front.

Moot point as to whether that constitutes the road being "clear" on the other side, I would assert that it does.

That was my point - there are no road markings (and it was dark) and the average motorist isn't going to know what distance from the track their vehicle needs to be. They just saw a space opening up on the exit side and drove over the crossing.

I didn't stay to see the event, I was walking to the station at the time, so I've no idea how long this situation lasted and whether the railway was alerted.

 

[Brissle Girl]

and the average motorist isn't going to know what distance from the track their vehicle needs to be.

It feels like a reasonably straightforward matter of judgment that motorists use all the time to assess how big a gap on the other side is needed (a bit like sometimes at a box junction). Given everyone appeared to be sensible about it (and bear in mind there isn't really any gain to be had by moving forward too early, as you just queue on the other side), I think you're creating an issue in your mind that didn't really exist.

 

[norbitonflyer]

The Fox River Grove accident in Illinois was the result of such a misjudgement. The distance between the level crossing and the traffic lights was less than the length of one of those big yellow American school buses. The traffic lights had been designed to be phased with the level crossing, but someone had then adjusted the phasing of the lights to introduce a pedestrian phase, reducing the time the bus driver had between getting a green light and the train arriving from 24 seconds to five. The regular bus driver was aware of this and knew not to enter the level crossing unless the lights at the junction beyond were also clear, but on this occasion a stand-in was driving.

 

[MarkyT]

Personally, I don't like unmonitored crossings like AHBC at all. Road traffic can block back anywhere spontaneously for all kinds of reasons. One mistake by a motorist who can't then move clear can very quickly lead to a high-speed impact. Design is supposed to exclude sites where junctions or business entrances are located near the exit, where block backs are more likely, but development and rising traffic levels pose increasing risk. The big problem politically is the logical replacement where a bridge isn't practical, an automatic full barrier MCB-OD crossing with obstacle detection interlocked with the signals, often leads to significantly extended road closure time for each train. There is a new kind of full barrier crossing with full barriers and OD with shorter warning times where the train driver has to monitor the crossing and its warning lights on approach via the driver red and white lights, but due to the need to stop clear if necessary these, like other locally monitored crossings, are subject to a maximum approach speed of of 55mph, even in the very best approach sighting conditions. The new crossing type is known as Automatic Full Barrier Crossing, Locally Monitored (AFBCL).