I cannot believe the lack of concern by Network Rail over the total farce concerning the regular failings of crossing barriers on Mill Green and Park Road.
Being closed for two and a half hours on the last occasion was the final straw.
After a string of similar instances the fact that it took one and a half hours for engineers to arrive and another hour before they could raise the barriers seems to be a total lack of competence and makes one think of the saying “what a way to run a railway!”
Unmanned crossings have been around for years and one can only believe that very little importance is being put into sorting the problem out, the disruption caused to cars, cyclists and pedestrians is considerable and I am wondering if it is possible to claim compensation for loss of time and missed appointments in the light of what appears to be total apathy.
Network Rail’s weak apologies seem time after time to mean nothing (I telephoned them in November regarding similar problems on South Drove crossing but even after chasing them up with another call still did not get a reply).
I am fully in support of more rail use on environmental grounds but Network Rail must give more importance to local people and until these problems are sorted out have competent engineers based nearer to Spalding so that breakdowns can be limited to shorter periods.
I can understand the frustration of the cyclist last week and think a court would have difficulty in punishing him in the circumstances. I suppose it is going to take a death due to emergency vehicles being unable to attend an incident to make them take notice.
G Hodson
Drain Bank South
Cowbit
