Safety at level crossings to be improved
Law reform to improve safety at level crossings has been proposed by the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission.
Their joint report, Level Crossings report, recommends bringing the safety regime for the 8,000 level crossings in the UK into line with that for railways generally; creating a new procedure to allow for the compulsory closure of level crossings; and clarifying the law relating to rights of way across railways.
The Level Crossings Act 1983 provides a safety regime specific to level crossings. The Commissioners say this makes for inflexible and unresponsive orders, the legal status of which is uncertain. They say their reforms would bring level crossings into the general Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 system.
