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Level crossings and Network Rail
Over the past 2 years the SCAN
committee has been working on the issue of level crossings.
Network Rail, citing health and safety concerns, closed 600
private level crossings throughout Scotland, placing blue signs
on the gates indicating “authorised users only”. Some of these
crossings have been padlocked shut, and Network Rail stated that
unauthorised use of such crossings would be regarded as criminal
trespass, with a fine of up to £1,000.
Many of these crossings are
important parts of the Scottish path network, some of them
existing long before the railway was built and some who are legal rights
of way. As local authorities are now working on their core path
plans, there is confusion as to whether paths over level
crossings can be incorporated into the plans. The Scottish
Outdoor Access Code says that land contiguous to that on which
access rights apply must take access into account in management
of that land. However, Network Rail has refused to open up the
level crossings, although a monitoring project of 20 crossings
around the country set up by SNH has been running over the past
year.
SCAN, along with SNH, the
Ramblers’ Association, Mountaineering Council of Scotland, the
National Access Forum and other organisations, has been trying
to resolve this issue. We have written to the Health & Safety
Executive and also to Tavish Scott MSP, Minister for Transport.
We will continue to press for access rights to apply over these
level crossings.
Letters & responses
SCAN letter to Health & Safety Executive
(April 2005)
Response from HSE to SCAN
SCAN letter to Tavish Scott MSP
(February 2006)
Response from Transport Scotland to SCAN
(March 2006)
Links
Ramblers Scotland
BBC |
