KEEP LONG ROCK PEDESTRIAN RAIL CROSSING OPEN

NETWORK RAIL ARE INVESTIGATING THE POSSIBLE CLOSURE OF LONG ROCK PEDESTRIAN RAIL CROSSING. THE INVESTIGATION HAS COME IN THE  WAKE OF THE DEATH OF JEANETTE NICHOLLS LAST OCTOBER WHO WAS HIT BY A TRAIN WHILST PASSING OVER THE CROSSING. WHILST I HAVE COMPLETE AND SINCERE SYMPHATHY FOR HER FAMILY AND FOR THE FACT THAT I WELCOME THEIR EFFORTS TO MAKE IT SAFER, CLOSING IT ALTOGETHER SHOULD NOT BE AN OPTION.

THE CROSSING OFFERS BUSINESS FOR THE LOCAL SHOP AND THE TWO PUBS, PARTICULARLY IN THE SUMMER AS PEOPLE COME OFF THE BEACH TO BUY REFRESHMENTS. THIS WILL NOT ONLY AFFECT THEIR BUSINESS BUT ALSO BEACH GOERS WHO'LL HAVE TO WALK 200 METRES TO THE CAR LEVEL CROSSING AND 200 METRES PARALLEL BACK TO GET TO THEM. BY THE TIME THEY'VE GOT BACK TO THE BEACH THEY'LL HAVE HAD TO HAVE WALKED A FAIR DISTANCE JUST TO GRAB A BOTTLE OF WATER OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE. NOT ONLY DOES IT OFFER ACCESS TO THE SHOP AND PUBS BUT IN THE SUMMER PEOPLE OFTEN USE LONG ROCK TO PARK THEIR CARS, GIVING THEM QUICK EASY ACCESS TO THE BEACH.

THEN YOU HAVE THE ISSUES THAT WILL ARISE SHOULD NETWORK RAIL DECIDE TO CLOSE IT, THE FIRST BEING THE MODIFICATIONS THEY WOULD HAVE TO MAKE TO THE CAR LEVEL CROSSING IN ORDER TO MAKE IT SAFER FOR PEDESTRIANS. CARS OFTEN USE THE CROSSING WITH INSUFFICIENT ROOM FOR BOTH CARS AND PEDESTRIANS TO CROSS AT THE SAME TIME, THINK IN THE SUMMER HOLIDAY PERIODS WHEN GROUPS OF KIDS AND OTHER BEACH GOERS ARE HAVING TO CROSS AT THE SAME TIME AS CARS, VANS ETC.

OTHER ISSUES INCLUDE PEOPLE TAKING A RISK AND JUMPING OVER WHATEVER FENCE NETWORK RAIL PUT IN PLACE JUST TO GAIN QUICK EASY ACCESS TO AND FROM THE BEACH LIKE THEY WOULD HAVE ONCE BEEN USE TO. SURELY THE FINANCIAL COSTS TO NETWORK RAIL WOULD BE JUST AS EXPENSIVE TO COMPLETELY BLOCK THE CROSSING AS IT WOULD TO MAKE A FEW SAFETY CHANGES.

I COULD GO ON WITH MY ARGUMENT TO KEEP THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING OPEN BUT THAT'S JUST A SMALL LIST OF WHY I THINK IT MUST STAY OPEN.

 PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION IF THE CLOSURE OF THIS CROSSING WOULD CAUSE A SIGNIFICANT INCONVENIENCE FOR YOUSELF OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE EXTRA SAFETY PROCEDURES PUT INTO PLACE.

BUT WHAT EVER THE DECISION IT SHOULD NOT BE CLOSED.