Last year the NFU has teamed up with Network Rail to help keep farmers and their workers safe at level crossings at harvest time.
In the last five years, there have been over 100 near-miss incidents at crossings on farmland and four instances of trains striking farm vehicles. Last year saw the number of near misses jump from 15 to 22 incidents, a reversal on years of steady decline.
The campaign reminds farm workers of the importance of:
- Using the telephones at level crossings to check that it is safe to cross. If asked users should ring back to let the signaller know when they are clear of the line
- Remembering to close the gates at level crossings after use so others don’t mistakenly think it is safe to cross.
- Clearing the crossing as quickly as possible, particularly when moving livestock across them.
The campaign also provides them with helpful materials to guide their workforce and regular farm visitors. These include an instructional booklet designed to be understood by the many casual workers that work on farms, particularly in harvest season, whatever their nationality or first language.
Further guidance can be found in the links below.