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03
Oct
Network Rail responds to criticism over ‘out of date’ Starbeck crossing technology
Network Rail has said it “continually” assesses its infrastructure after criticism that technology at Starbeck level crossing is out of date.
The crossing is often the bane of motorists' lives due to the frequency of trains travelling through Starbeck station.
As many as nine trains pass through the station every hour, leaving vehicles stuck in traffic for several minutes while the barriers are down.
Local politicians raised the issue over delays at the crossing again at a Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee last Thursday (September 25).
(Left) Cllr Paul Haslam and Cllr Chris Aldred.
Cllr Paul Haslam, who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, said the technology used at the signalling box to lift the crossing at Starbeck was “totally out of date” and led to delays of up to seven minutes.
Cllr Haslam said the crossing is operated by a lever, which someone has to pull when a train approaches Starbeck station.
However, he added that Network Rail were “not keen” on investing in new equipment at the facility.
Cllr Haslam called on the David Skaith, Labour Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, to join the council and other authorities to “put pressure” on the rail organisation to take action.
The Stray Ferret approached Network Rail to offer it the chance to respond to the claims and to ask why it operates the crossing in such a way.
A spokesperson for the organisation said:
We continually assess infrastructure across the network, including crossings. Any decisions around upgrades or investment are based on a range of factors including safety of road and rail users, usage levels and available funding.
An issue for decades
The problem over how to solve congestion at Starbeck crossing has been going on for decades.
Cllr Philip Broadbank, who represents Fairfax and Starbeck on North Yorkshire Council, said previously that the crossing has been an issue in the area since 1929 with various solutions failing to solve it.
In 2019, the former North Yorkshire County Council reviewed the crossing and assessed how long the barriers were down for and queuing traffic.
They produced a report with suggested improvements but it was rejected as the council concluded it was “unlikely to provide measurable benefits”.
The delays at the crossing also hit emergency services, such as the police and fire service, who are trying to attend incidents.
In 2022, firefighters called on Zoe Metcalfe, the former Conservative police, fire and crime commissioner for North Yorkshire, to tackle the issue of Starbeck crossing holding up fire engines attending emergencies.
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