Level Crossings

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30367, 17 February 1964, Page 3

Level Crossings

Sir,—The statement by the Minister of Railways that priority was being given to measures for reducing the number of fatal railway crossing accidents is indeed reassuring. If, however,' the public are to be educated to exercise greater caution then it would appear . that the Railways Department should first make sure that every railway crossing sign should be a genuine solemn warning. Today in Canterbury there are scores and scores of railway crossing signs still standing where trains no longer run, and in some cases where the railway lines have already been removed. Surely the psychological effect of these false warnings must be bad.—Yours, etc., DONALD HABERFIELD. January 30, 1964. [The district engineer of the Railways Department (Mr G. Shrimpton) replied: “The ‘Railway’ signs have been removed from all the crossings on closed railways in Canterbury, except those on the Southbridge and Little River branches. Removal of the tracks on these two branches is in hand now and trains will be required to run occasionally to collect rails. As the rails are removed the ‘Railway’ signs at the crossings will be removed. ‘Railway Crossing’ signs, of course, are the responsibility of the local bodies.”]