Driver banned for rail crossing madness
Thursday 6th May 2010, 10:38AM BST.
Can’t see video? Update Adobe Flash Player
Video may take a moment to load. Return to Video Index
A man who drove on the wrong side of the road to clear a notorious Shropshire level crossing moments before a packed passenger train whizzed by has been banned from driving for 12 months and fined a total of £1,575.
Gordon Watkins, of Calverhall, near Whitchurch, overtook another car then raced across Wem level crossing one second before the barriers came down, Market Drayton magistrates were told.
The 24-year-old had denied dangerous driving but was found guilty following a trial last week and sentenced yesterday.
His conviction follows a major campaign by British Transport Police (BTP) and Network Rail to warn motorists about the dangers of speeding across the crossing – said to be one of the top six most abused in the country.
The court heard Watkins was driving a burgundy Renault Megane, which darted over the level crossing from the Soulton Road side at 7.46am on September 23, 2009.
Remorse
Despite the warning lights being illuminated, the footage showed Watkins’ car overtaking the silver car by crossing a solid white line on to the wrong side of the road before driving over the tracks.
Sentencing Watkins, magistrates said they were satisfied he had shown remorse and now understood the implications of what could have happened.
They handed Watkins a 12-month driving ban and fined him £960.
He must also pay £600 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
Mr John Barnett, prosecuting, said at interview Watkins told police he could not have seen the lights otherwise he would not have gone through the crossing.
Mr Neil Campbell, for Watkins, said his client was of previous good character, had a clean driving licence and was “ashamed” of what he had done.
Between April 2009 and February 2010, figures showed 122 motorists were caught on camera breaking the law at Wem level crossing.
Sergeant Karl Anderson of BTP said: “If cars are captured flouting the law then we are able to use the images to confirm and corroborate the evidence. It simply is not worth risking.”
By Tom Johannsen
UK News
Most Commented
- Trapped! Shoppers stuck on car park for hours in snow
- Letter: Days of having drink in a rural pub are over
- New look of Shrewsbury town centre revealed
- Letter: Nonsense on climate change
- People power sparks Telford speed cameras move
- Olympic mascots Wenlock and Mandeville snubbed over appearance fees
- Leader: Sixty glorious years of much-loved Queen
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
Entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
shropshirestar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
What an IDIOT! i still think 12 months is to much as he had plenty of time
Report abuse
Jake – are you serious? He had no time to cross as the lights were flashing. Ban him for 2 years I say!
Report abuse
24ct Idiot! He should be also be made to retake his driving test.
Report abuse
I suggest a red light camera for that crossing! (similar to speed cameras but used to identify vehicles that jump red lights). Also it wouldn’t kill to wait at a level crossing. (in a literal sense that is).
Report abuse
I hope he is not the only one to be caught and prosecuted. What about the silver clio that was show on a video in this paper several months ago ? Did he get caught?
Report abuse
Remember it well, I’m the car in front and he’d been on my bumper for miles. Shame he didn’t get stuck on the line, people like him are so ignorant. Makes me so cross.
Report abuse
Not a bad verdict and punishment. I feel he should have been made to retake jis driving test as well. can you imagine the possible consequences if the train had struck him?
Report abuse
i know him well and i think 12 months isn’t enough..!!!!
Report abuse
this crossing is not well marked and the lines are a disgrace. also the reporting of this incident seems exaggerated as it is clear from the video that the lights had only just started to flash. kzzy if you had stoped in the right place ahead of the keep clear this wouldn’t of happened as the car beleieved you were pulling up on the left i believe. where is the reporting on others who have abused this crossing, since the shropshire star says there are so many cases of this crossing being abused? and surprsie surprise, some new signs seem to have gone up in wem THIS WEEK, warning motirists of the crossing and informing them of the cctv – why havde these never been there before? coincidence??? seems the highways agency are trying to cover themselves. of course the shropshire star wouldn’t be biased towards the shropshire star would they, seein g as they recieve large amounts of money from them each year every time the highways agaency advertises roadworks etc. hmmm, disgraceful reporting. wonder if this comment gets published in full?!
Report abuse
Yes, I wonder why this comment was published at all as I have no idea what you’re on about. Shropshire Star biased towards the Shropshire Star and receiving large amounts of money from them? – any chance of some clarification on that please?
What on earth do you mean when you say the crossing is not well marked and the lines are a disgrace? It’s perfectly well marked – that’s clear both from the CCTV, and obviously even more so at the actual site. Anyone who fails to notice the markings should not be on the road. Is your friend local to the area by any chance? If so, then surely he would know that the crossing is there.
There is absolutely no justification whatsoever for lunacy such as this, and it would appear that your friend to his credit now understands this having expressed remorse for his actions.
Report abuse
poppycock!
Report abuse
interesting to see also where the video ends, it is not made clear how long the train is from passing through. i have sat at this crossing for over 5 mins after the barriers have come down, there was no way a train was ever going to hit this car AS THE BARRIERS WERE NOT DOWN AS HE WENT THROUGH – THE BARRIERS WOULD ALWATS BE FULLY DWON BEFORE THE TRAIN IS ANYWHERE NEAR PASSING THROUGH A STATION
Report abuse
also i have personal knowledge of this case and have seen the still photos of this incident taken from the other side of the crossing (the soulton road.asto road junction side) so i know where kizzy stopped and how bad the road markings are on that side of the crossing – much worse and less clear than the markings on this side of the crossing (as shown in the bottom left of this footage)
Report abuse
and finchy i know you personally, your “joke” comment isn’t appreciated as it gives the wrong impression of the person concerned – grom up finchy and stop taking the mick out of one of your mates, he has suffered enough grief and remorse over this
Report abuse
Question is, why would the person in front of him stop if the lights weren’t flashing. He put himself at risk and the train at risk by ignoring the lights. Got what he deserved.
And with a bit of luck the money taken from his pocket went towards the cost of installing another camera on another crossing to catch more bad drivers. The sooner these pillocks are held to account, the sooner the roads will be safer for the rest of us road users.
Report abuse
@Doody: AS THE BARRIERS WERE NOT DOWN AS HE WENT THROUGH – THE BARRIERS WOULD ALWATS BE FULLY DWON BEFORE THE TRAIN IS ANYWHERE NEAR PASSING THROUGH A STATION
Yes – as long as there is even an inch gap for you to squeeze through then go for it. Same goes for traffic lights -race as fast as you can as long as you can squeeze through in the last possible moment. Same goes for pedestrians crossing the road. Go for them as long as you got an inch gap to avoid them!
What a twit!
Report abuse
£15 “Victim Surcharge”?????
I’d have told the beaks where to go on that one. I’d rather give it to a benefit thie……..sorry…….liebour supporter.
Report abuse
To all the law abiding citizens who have have never driven above the speed limit, gone through a set of traffic lights as they are changing to red, used a mobile phone whilst driving, cut up another driver etc etc.
We all have driven out side of the law at some stage and most people break the law daily and if you say you don’t then your a liar!!!!
So give the guy ba break he was just unlucky, next time it could be you who is on camera.
Report abuse
CCTV should be clearly advertised. Pretty sure this driver would not have done this had he knew they were looking for ‘an example’. One way or another – who doesn’t break the law! Hell even smoking in a car is illegal!
Report abuse