scope:

This SIN will be carried out on: 

• Manually Controlled level crossings with Road Traffic Lights (RTLs) 

• Automatic level crossings with RTLs and any signal within a strike-in 

• User-worked level crossings with Miniature Stop Lights (MSLs) and any regulated signal within a strike-in

Purpose 

The purpose of this Special Inspection Notice (SIN) is to assess whether the visual and audible warnings provided to road users in the event of a train overrunning a signal approaching certain level crossings, meet the minimum requirements to be effective and where necessary prioritise remedial actions or further assessment. 

In September 2023 a protecting signal at Woodnesborough level crossing, near Sandwich, was passed at danger, resulting in the train reaching the level crossing with less than 2 seconds warning to road users. No one was hurt in this instance, but video footage of the incident clearly shows that two users were close to being on the crossing at the time. Preliminary investigations indicate that the configuration of the system did not provide an optimised warning time to road users. 

In August 2017 a train narrowly avoided a collision with a vehicle on Magdalen Road level crossing after the train had been authorised to pass the protecting signal at danger. The crossing had reopened to road traffic as it had not been placed on manual control and the crossing had no overrun controls to provide a warning to road users.