LEVEL CROSSING MENACE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 31 December 1924, Page 4

LEVEL CROSSING MENACE.

COMMISSION’S OPINION. Dealing with the menace of level crossings the. Railway Commission’s report states: “The great number of level crossings ,in the Dominion are a danger—fas all level ’crossings are—as well as hindrance to the movement of traffic. Some £200,000 have been included for crossings in the proposed capital expenditure, to be spread over the ensuing eight years; this amount, however, will not go very far towards meeting the cost of bridges. At main roads in the larger towns it is desirable to obviate crossings by bridges or subways in the interest of public safety, hut it is not practicable to deal with the numerous county roads in the same wav. Where signal-boxes are near crossings the provision of electrically operated gates to be worked by signalmen would be a safeguard although it would not get rid of ’ obstruction. aWe have examined the latest form of automatic swinging-light warning device, which goes as far as possible. _ short of physical protection, m the direction of preventing the railway being crossed <by road vehicles or pedestrians when trains are approachu}&' t. fire also provided at soine or the crossings. Short of erecting gates and building gatehouses .we do not see that more can be done to give warning at crossings.”