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Traffic caused by gates at Dart Level Crossings...

Zascar · 2008-03-13 12:54:53

I cross over the dart line twice every day on my way to and from work. It seriously infuriates me how long the gates at the level crossing come down before a train comes. I believe the rule is that they must go down when a train reaches the station either side. Sometimes however the station is miles away! Also, very often…

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13-03-2008 1:54pm

#1

Zascar

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I cross over the dart line twice every day on my way to and from work. It seriously infuriates me how long the gates at the level crossing come down before a train comes. I believe the rule is that they must go down when a train reaches the station either side. Sometimes however the station is miles away! Also, very often a train goes by and they stay down for another new minutes until another train passes. What annoys me the most is when the gates go up, about 3 or 4 cars go through, and then they come down again – and it’s quite a few minutes until a train passes!

Seriously, does anyone else agree with me that the time that they are down before a train passes is unnecessarily long? I understand why they do it, someone might get stuck and you need time to get to the phone box thing and alert the fact that an accident may happen if a train approaches quickly. However in this day and age, surely a better solution is possible? Surely we can considerable reduce the time before the gates have to come down. Some sort of sensor that would inform approaching trains if there was a car on the tracks maybe?

I know it is all in the name of safety, but really how many accidents have there been on level crossings? The traffic problems it causes really are substantial – Just take anywhere around the Rock Road and Strand Road morning or evening for example. Someone should do the maths on how much money is being wasted on fuel and extra carbon emissions as a result – perhaps that would be a good argument against getting them changed!

Any thoughts?

(Edit: Just realised this may be better suited to the Commuting/Transport Forum - please move if necessary)

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#2 13-03-2008 8:23pm
mikemac

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If you'd searched then just about all your questions were answered in Commuting forum last month
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055241890&highlight=crossings

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#3 13-03-2008 10:38pm
Victor

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Zascar wrote: »

I know it is all in the name of safety, but really how many accidents have there been on level crossings?

Quite a few. Of the 10-12 deaths on the railways eash year, there will be one or two staff and rarely a passenger. All the rest are either level crossings and / or suicides.

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#4 14-03-2008 12:46pm
Jay D

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build a bridge and get over it.... - get it?

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