Montgomeryshire AM, Russell George, has called on the Welsh Government to eliminate un-safe rail crossings in Montgomeryshire.
Mr George has recently met with residents in Llanbrynmair who have to open gates themselves in order to cross the train line to their properties.
The Assembly Member questioned the First Minister on what his Government was doing to mitigate the risk of accidents when an hourly service on the Cambrian Line is introduced.
Commenting Mr George said:
“There are legitimate safety concerns for people living in communities like Llanbrynmair and Talerddig that need to be addressed.
“With an increase in train frequency and speed of travel, steps must be taken now to ensure that this risk is properly managed.
“Local residents will still remember the tragic incident in 1999 when an American tourist was killed crossing an unmanned level crossing.
“It took a further six years for a tripartite package to be put together between Network Rail, Powys County Council and the Welsh Government, so that specific infrastructure could be put in place to make that crossing safe.
“I believe the elimination of crossings, particularly those presenting the greatest risk, by closure or replacement by bridges is clearly desirable from a safety perspective. However, I do not want to wait for another fatality before that happens.
“That is why the Welsh Government must work closely with the local authority and Network rail now so the risk of future accidents is completely mitigated.”
