Men and young girls ignore lights at level crossing and run across seconds before train hurtles past

Shocking footage shows two men and two young girls risk their lives after they open a gate to a closed level crossing. 

They run across the track and a train flashes past a couple of seconds after they make it to the other side. 

The men were with two young girls during the incident at the Whitehall Lane level crossing near Canterbury, Kent, on Saturday afternoon.

They opened the gate and crossed the track despite red lights being on the barrier, risking being struck by the Southeastern Margate-St Pancras train. 

This was the first of two incidents at a level crossing in Kent at the weekend after a group crossed the track to get on to private land.

The group of four dirt bike riders wearing helmets hacked padlocks off a bolted level crossing at Shornemead, near Gravesend in Kent.  

The crossing is locked at all times – with only authorised users holding keys. 

Rail chiefs have issused a warning following the incidents and police have launched an investigation into the riders.

Network Rail Southern region’s head of security, crime and resilience Gerardo Chiariello said: ‘I’m really shocked by the attitude of these adults in the recent incidents.

‘I sometimes hear people talking as if trespass and misusing level crossings is something young people do, but these were people in positions of responsibility for young lives and they thought running across in front of a train was a good example to set.

‘The bigger picture is that we’ve actually seen a drop in trespassing and other crime on our railway in the South East, through targeted action by us and the British Transport Police, and also the impact of Covid, but these incidents are worrying coming so close to each other.

‘It’s absolutely crucial that everyone understands the dangers of the railway and how to treat it with respect.’  

Trespass is down 31 per cent year to date in Network Rail Kent and Sussex which also covers South London. Vandalism is down 55 per cent.  

British Transport Police Inspector Jonathan Pine, of Network Rail’s crime team in Kent and Sussex, added: ‘Trains take a long time to stop, from full speed it could even be a full kilometre, and in both of these incidents a single person falling over or off their bike could have been fatal.

‘We’ve passed the video of the incident at Shornemead to our officers to investigate and I’d urge anyone who recognises the bikes and bikers to get in touch.

‘This was one of the most blatant examples of trespassing we’ve ever seen, not to mention a risk to all the bikers themselves as they crossed the railway and breached lockdown rules.

‘The Covid crisis needs everyone to look out for each other and their families and these incidents showed a disturbing lack of any sort of sense of responsibility.

‘The British Transport Police and Network Rail will be working as a team with operators in the coming weeks to make sure the low level of trespassing and crime we have seen lately doesn’t rise again.

‘We’ve also got a simple message: The instructions at level crossings are clear. Don’t ignore them.’

Southeastern’s head of drivers Jim Maxwell said: ‘Our drivers are critical workers delivering a very important service to get people who have to travel to where they need to be during the current crisis, and don’t deserve the extra stress that these types of incidents cause.

‘Reckless trespass incidents like this can have a profound effect on our drivers’ mental health – particularly when there are younger people involved, and are further compounded if the driver has been unfortunate enough to have been previously involved in a fatality, with the potential to cause flashbacks.

‘It often means that the drivers have to take time off whilst they recover, and are supported through their ordeal.

‘I fully support our colleagues at Network Rail and the British Transport Police in trying to identify and pursue the culprits.’