Muppetry at Thatcham Level Crossing Today, What on earth was going on? Options

[Blake]

Had a **** of a delay at Thatcham level crossing today from about 9.20am and was very late for work. Three trains went and the barriers failed to open...at all! This is the second time in less than a year that this muppetry has happened and the rail company fails to tell drivers what on earth is going on, how long it will take to be fixed or if we need to do a U-turn and divert.

Instead, we are wholly dependent on the goodwill of fellow motorists who alert those further along what became a huge tail back that the barriers are broken.

Shameful performance. Time we had a bridge. It's the only rational solution.

[Washwaterman]

My favourite subject... Having spent many an hour waiting at the level crossing I have come to the conclusion that the major problem is the length of time the crossing is down.
Waiting 5 minutes for a train to arrive at the station is unacceptable surely in these modern times drop the barriers 1 minute before the train arrives and as the train is stopped in the station raise the barriers.

Although this won't help when the barriers are down for some 20 minutes as the ghost train goes through then the barriers raise, or do we wait until people are killed or injured when a vehicle ploughs into a queue of unsighted cars south of the station.

But as always this subject is not treated with the importance it deserves.

[Biker1]

Having spent many an hour waiting at the level crossing I have come to the conclusion that the major problem is the length of time the crossing is down.

No!, you don't say!!

Waiting 5 minutes for a train to arrive at the station is unacceptable surely in these modern times drop the barriers 1 minute before the train arrives

No, can't do that. All to do with safe stopping distances etc. You need to look at facts a bit more before making assumptions.

and as the train is stopped in the station raise the barriers.

They do. (If the trains is heading towards Reading and there is no other train coming).

Although this won't help when the barriers are down for some 20 minutes as the ghost train goes through then the barriers raise,

20 minutes? The Ghost Train? what on earth are you talking about?
You need to look at facts a bit more before making assumptions.

But as always this subject is not treated with the importance it deserves.

By who? It's discussed on here enough.
Here is a page where you can submit comments / suggestions regarding the crossing to NR.