Barnsley railway crossing shut after dangerous misuse

An emergency order has been passed to close a railway crossing after a string of “truly shocking” incidents.

Footage release by Network Rail showed people holding a gate shut at the Wilthorpe footpath crossing in Barnsley to trap others on the line as well as placing ballast on the tracks and lying down on the tracks to pose for photographs.

The order was granted by Barnsley Council after 15 dangerous incidents were recorded in the space of eight weeks.

Andy Cunningham, route level crossing manager at Network Rail, described the behaviour as the worst he had seen saying it was “fortunate not to have had a fatality”.

He said the crossing was a popular walking route for residents and the decision to shut it had not been taken lightly.

“People are repeatedly risking their own and other people’s lives.

“But, given the evidence and the severity of the situation, we believe that closing the crossing is the most responsible course of action to prevent any potential accidents or injuries,” he said.

Barnsley Council approved the emergency closure order on Thursday.

The crossing will remain shut for three weeks, after which Network Rail said it would apply for a six-month order to keep it closed