AN URGENT meeting is expected to take place next week following near-misses on a level crossing.
Network Rail and Cheshire County Council’s highways department are meeting with First Group whose buses have been involved in incidents at the Green Lane crossing in Saltney.
In the latest case, a bus met a car transporter coming the other way and “inched” past each other as the lights flashed and sirens began to sound.
The bus escaped in the nick of time, but only after one of the barriers had crashed through a rear side window.
The crossing is narrow and humped, one of the approaches is on a blind bend and a fence and overgrown hedge impair visibility. First Group also believes there is insufficient time from when the sirens sound to the barriers descending.
Flintshire and Saltney town councillor Veronica Gay said: “I have spoken with the MD of First Bus who is just as concerned as myself to sort this out and that if we do not act quickly First Bus may have to suspend the service over the crossing which would cause disruption and inconvenience to the residents of Saltney and the Lache.”
First’s commercial director for Chester and Wirral, Paul De Santis said: “There are issues with the design and operation of the level crossing, safety issues that need to be addressed urgently. If, following this meeting, it is not sorted out we might have to consider other options.”
He said drivers had been briefed to approach the crossing “as safely as possible”.
Network Rail spokeswoman Rachel Lowe said there was “no quick fix” and a long-term solution was needed to address issues at the crossing although she claimed the crossing was “safe as long as it is used correctly”.
She added: “If it was not safe it would be closed by HM Railway Inspectorate.”
