LEVEL CROSSINGS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12021, 26 December 1924, Page 11

LEVEL CROSSINGS

DANGER AND HINDRANCE. REPORT OF COMMISSION. The following is from the report of the Royal Commission on the’railways: —“The great number of level crossings in the Dominion are a danger—as all level crossings are—as well as hindrance to the movement of traffic. Somo £200,000 have been included for crossings in the proposed capital expenditure, to be spread over the ensuing enght .years; this amount, however will not go 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, but it is not practicable to deal with the numerous county roads in the same way. 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. We have examined the latest form of automatic swinginglight warning device, which goes as far as possible, short of physical protection, in the direction of preventing the railway being crossed by road vehicles or pedestrians when trains are approaching. Bells are also provided at some of the crossings- Short of erecting. gates and building gatehouses we do not see that more can be done to give warning at crossings.”