Lipservice to level crossing safety?

Tomorrow is International Level Crossing Awareness Day.

No, nor did Eye.

Network Rail has started sending out press releases to remind people of the death toll from level crossing abuse:

European Country/Total number of persons killed by level-crossing accidents in 2008

Hungary 118
Germany 52
Czech Republic 43
Romania 42
Poland 40
France 38
Latvia 27
Austria 25
The Netherlands 18
Spain 17
Portugal 17
Slovakia 17
Great Britain 15

But still the national infrastructure operator and RSSB cannot be bothered to create a dedicated website promoting safe use of level crossings.

One that could command pan industry support, involving NR, RSSB, TOCs, Heritage Railways, DafT, the BTP, the Highways Agency, schools, community groups, etc...

Something along the lines of Operation Lifesaver in Canada and the US.

Is it stubbornness or a 'not invented here' syndrome that stops them doing this?

Fingers out chaps and get on with it.

Crossing the line

Has Network Rail's success in managing the recent adverse weather gone to its head?

The Fact Compiler has received the following email from one of NR's PR monkeys:

It would be marvellous if you could highlight all the great coverage (that) Network Rail achieved in raising awareness of level crossing misuse this week...

Wait a minute!

As numerous headlines pointed out:

The number of cases of motorists taking dangerous and illegal risks at UK level crossings is at a four-year high.

So what has Network Rail been doing for the last four years to address this problem?

Ah, of course.

Sticking ads on the back of vans and, errr..., running locos into vehicles for the exclusive benefit of Clarkson and Top Gear!

Pay attention Network Rail.

If you want to see how to reduce level crossing abuse look across the pond to America and Canada.

Where is Network Rail's Operation Lifesaver equivalent?

Fingers out and website up - if you please!

UPDATE: A Network Rail spokesman writes...

Don't begrudge us for using every weapon in our armoury in countering level crossing misuse.

The Top Gear collision was an attempt to get the message across to petrolheads, we make no apology for that.

Of course, we want to make more headway on the misuse stat, but this is a young campaign.

It took decades for the drink driving message to cut through and make it socially unacceptable - we're here for the long term

So get a dedicated bloody website up and resource the campaign properly!