A safety warning has been issued ahead of the Easter period following incidents of dangerous behaviour at level crossings in Worcestershire.

Network Rail has unveiled disturbing CCTV footage which highlights three such incidents that each occurred in March.

These incidents involved an individual who forced their way past closed barriers on Wednesday, March 13 at the Hartleybury level crossing in Worcestershire.

 

 

Read more: Rainbow Hill wall collapse: inside crumbling garden

 

 

At the Blakedown level crossing in Worcestershire on Monday, March 18 and again at West Midlands' Langley Green level crossing on Monday, March 4, in which a van and a car, respectively, disregarded signals and dashed through lowering barriers.

The footage, captured by train drivers or hidden cameras, illustrates a fraction of the 60 cases of misuse reported in the Midlands region since the beginning of 2024, with four considered 'near misses' involving pedestrians.

Over the past 12 months, there have been 225 reported cases of misuse , with 27 classified as near misses.

There has also been a surge in incidents involving children and young people.

In light of this, Network Rail's level crossing managers have reached out to schools in the area with a letter detailing the dangers of railway misuse.

They have sought the backing of parents, guardians and the community to mitigate these issues.

Natalie Stretton, head of operational risk for Network Rail’s Central route, said: "There’s never any excuse for the kind of reckless behaviour you see in this video.

"Many people, especially young people, fail to understand the danger they put themselves and others in when they make the choice to ignore the safety rules."

Ms Stretton added: "Typically we see incidents of misuse and acts of crime rise in April due to the better weather and lighter nights, and I’d like to use this video as a reminder to anyone who uses level crossings to do so safely."

Network Rail is reiterating its guidelines on safely using level crossings, which urge people to always obey all rules.

The key advice is to stay focused, follow all signs and instructions, and check both directions before crossing.