ProRail to place concrete blocks at unguarded railway crossings

Next week ProRail will start placing concrete blocks at 120 dangerous unguarded railway crossing throughout the country - without waiting for local consultations to end. "Next week we will start closing roads ourselves. That is the safest solution", ProRail CEO Pier Eringa said to the Telegraaf.

Eringa told the newspaper that he is getting ahead of "bureaucracy and weak knees". He can't understand why residents living around dangerous crossings oppose their closure. Eringa finds it irresponsible to wait any longer. "The consultation sometimes goes on endlessly. If there is another accident, we do not want to be blamed for doing nothing. That can no longer be explained", he said to the newspaper.

The ProRail CEO did not say which unguarded crossing will be blocked off for other traffic first. But according to the Telegraaf, it will be a level crossing in Lunteren. The municipality and residents support the closure, also because there is a guarded crossing 100 meters away. But a landowner is opposing the closure, which is why the level crossing is still open.

ProRail will go to court to force the closure if necessary. But in the meantime concrete blocks will be placed to keep people and cars off the tracks. Eringa is confident that ProRail can win this court case. "The judge has to decide who is right. It does not seem to me that [the court] will keep those unsafe situations in place. People could die."