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Screengrab of CCTV footage showing a person crashing into a level crossing Irish Rail

Irish Rail working towards removing seven level crossings on Cork mainline

Irish Rail is partnering with gardaí and the RSA as part of European Safety week to raise awareness of level crossing safety.

IRISH RAIL IS working towards removing seven level crossings on the Cork mainline as it aims to eliminate as many as possible on its rail network. 

The transport company has lodged a railway order with An Bord Pleanála and an oral hearing has been held to eliminate the seven crossings. 

Irish Rail is partnering with An Garda Síochána and the RSA as part of European Safety week this week to raise awareness of level crossing safety. 

It has also released footage of incidents at level crossings and has appealed for renewed vigilance at crossings from all road users including pedestrians, cyclists and e-scooter users. 

In the year to date, there has been 71 incidents at level crossings across the network, of which 30 resulted in crossing damage or injury to crossing user.

The majority of level crossing incidents involve road vehicles colliding with crossing gates or barriers-resulting in damage to the crossing/barriers.

The most frequent locations involved in incidents are:

  • Sutton (13 incidents)
  • Serpentine (8)
  • Sydney Parade (8)
  • Lansdowne Rd (7)
  • Bray (6)
  • Sandymount (5)
  • Merrion (4)
  • Clonsilla (2)
  • Baldoyle (2)

The company reminds users of the onus to use crossings responsibly:

  • At automatic crossings – stop safely when the warning lights begin to flash. Never go through crossings when barriers are about to lower or lowering.
  • At staff operated crossings – respect gatekeepers, whose role is to ensure your safety and that of rail users. Stop immediately when the gatekeeper requests it.
  • At user operated crossings – Always stop before crossing to check the line, check the line again after crossing, and always close the gate after use for your safety and that of others.

Almost 300 people die at level crossings across Europe every year and level crossing accidents account for 1% of road deaths in Europe but 31% of all rail fatalities, Irish Rail said. 

Although Ireland’s record is far stronger than the European average, and there have been no level crossing fatalities since 2010, Irish Rail said vigilance is essential. 

“The number of incidents at level crossings is still too high. In recent months, we have had a number of very worrying incidents and level crossings and we would appeal to all road users to obey the rules of the roads at level crossings. They are for everyone’s safety,” Irish Rail chief executive Jim Meade said. 

Irish Rail said it is continuing to install additional train detection warning systems at User Operated Level Crossings around the country. These measures have now been introduced at 36 user operated level crossings, with a further four to be commissioned in the coming weeks.

There are currently 902 level crossings on the Iarnród Éireann network. These are a combination of automated CCTV crossings, manned crossings and unmanned user operated accommodation crossings.

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Feb 4th 2012, 5:14 PM

    Well done journal for featuring these cases and I believe that you play a big part in the successful resolution of these worrying events for familys all over the country.

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    Mute Burned Toast
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    Feb 4th 2012, 5:29 PM

    Hope he gets help if he needs it, or a good kick up the hole if he fancied a jolly to the big schmoke.

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    Mute Francis Stokes
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    Feb 4th 2012, 9:17 PM

    That is good news for his parents. Happy ending to their ordeal.

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    Mute olive tierney
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    Feb 4th 2012, 8:39 PM

    Thank god!!

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    Mute Frank2521
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    Feb 4th 2012, 11:08 PM

    Should the parents pay for the police work?

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    Mute Hanly Sheelagh
    Favourite Hanly Sheelagh
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    Feb 4th 2012, 11:40 PM

    No, why would they do that? Then we could have wealthy kids have the police search for them and the ones with no money could stay lost!

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    Mute Jack Driscoll
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    Feb 5th 2012, 1:04 AM

    If he’s a runaway, wasting valuable Garda time, then yes his parents should. That’d teach parents to discipline their children properly.

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    Mute Tony Rodgers
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    Feb 5th 2012, 1:31 AM

    And then the police can start charging us when we want to report a robbery >_>
    The fire brigade and police service Remaining free is something even the most avid libertarian would agree with.

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    Mute Louise Brandon-Doyle
    Favourite Louise Brandon-Doyle
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    Feb 5th 2012, 11:55 AM

    To be fair, we all pay taxes so essentially yes the parents are paying for the service. And teen runaways are rarely about discipline issues and more about their emotional state.

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    Mute -Romain Petton
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    Feb 5th 2012, 7:12 AM

    How come we never find out where all these missing kids were found?

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    Mute Bláthnaid Belladonna
    Favourite Bláthnaid Belladonna
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    Feb 5th 2012, 1:53 AM

    They don’t say what happened to him to go missing?? Only that he safe and well which Is great.

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    Mute Weazel Macgagarthy
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    Feb 5th 2012, 2:42 AM

    Probably because it’s none of our business…and great pic journal, could it be any closer?

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