CROSSING THREAT

THE town's manned railway crossings could be automated if security alerts continue, it has been claimed.

Loughside councillor Noel McGeown has called on those responsible for the hoax devices that were placed inside the gatekeeper's hut at Bell’s Row railway crossing to think about what they are doing.

Mr McGeown, who sits on the council's Community Safety Partnerships, said Translink was considering removing personnel from the crossing at Bell's Row and Lake Street because of the threat to employees safety.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: "If personnel are removed from the crossing boxes for safety reasons the crossings will have to be made fully automatic and once that happens it will be virtually impossible to reverse the situation.

"The people behind these pointless hoaxes need to take pause and think of the consequences of their actions on future generations.”

Cllr McGeown said a campaign was waged over 20 years ago by the people of north Lurgan to have the crossings at Bell’s Row and Lake Street maintained as manned crossings.

Residents led a successful campaign in having the decision of the railway authorities to make the two crossing fully automated overturned.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The councillor stressed that the actions of those behind the hoaxes were causing major disruption to their community and achieved nothing but potential long term problems for the area.

He added: "Local people led the campaign against fully automated crossings in the area because they were worried for the safety of the local children.

"It would indeed be ironic if it were some of those same children who are now creating a situation that will inevitably lead to the crossing being made fully automatic.”

Related topics: