Dave Thompson MSP

Potential for accident on open crossing every 10 minutes in Highlands

Highlands & Islands SNP MSP Dave Thompson has called for a 5 year programme of level crossing upgrades to install barriers at the 23 open level crossings in Scotland.

Speaking on Thursday in Parliament in fellow SNP MSP Willie Coffey's member's debate on Fatal Accident Inquiries at level crossings, Dave pressed the point that open crossings constitute only 2 per cent of all level crossings yet account for 31 per cent of collisions.

Mr Thompson said: "I want the 23 automatic open crossings in Scotland to be dealt with.  21 of the 23 are in the Highlands, with two on the Fort William to Mallaig line, seven on the Dingwall to Kyle line and twelve on the Inverness to Wick and Thurso line.  Although there are not many trains each day, because there are so many crossings on those lines we end up with a train going over an open crossing every 10 minutes in the Highlands.

"I would like to see a 5 year programme of gating open crossings. If it costs £1 million a crossing and £23 million over 5 years we are talking about a cost that is less than £5 million a year.  Such programme would stop accidents in their tracks and the fewer accidents we have at such crossings the fewer fatal accident inquiries will be needed."

Mr Thompson will today (Monday) be writing to the Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson suggesting the 5 year gating programme.

Notes:

For the full transcript of Mr Thompson's speech and the rest of the contributors to the member's debate see here.