The Private Crossings (Signs and Barriers) Regulations 1996

Regulation 3

SCHEDULE 1 CROSSING SIGNS

Regulation 10

SCHEDULE 2 GATES

1.  Where gates are used, each gate shall (by itself or with another gate on the same side of the railway or tramway) be long enough to extend across the full width of the relevant road, and shall be pivoted to open away from the railway or tramway.

2.  When a gate is closed, the uppermost surface of the gate shall not be less than 1350 millimetres above the road surface at the centre of the relevant road and the underclearance between each gate and the road shall not exceed 150 millimetres. Where the relevant road is an unmetalled track, the underclearance between the gate and the ground shall be no greater than 150 millimetres than is reasonably necessary, having regard to the need to avoid the gate grounding during opening and closing movements.

3.  Where a gate is not installed solely for use by pedestrians, it shall be furnished with suitable mechanisms for securing it in the open and in the closed positions.

4.  So far as reasonably practicable, a gate shall be constructed so as to be strong enough to withstand distortion or fracture caused by wind pressure or by a farm animal, and, subject thereto, it shall be as light in weight as possible.

Regulation 10

SCHEDULE 3 BARRIERS OTHER THAN GATES

1.  Where barriers are used, they shall when lowered across the relevant road be long enough to extend either—

(a) across the full width of the relevant road, or

(b) from the left-hand side of the relevant road (as seen from a vehicle approaching the crossing) to a point as close as possible to the centre of the relevant road as is consistent with allowing a clear passage at least 3 metres wide between the tip of the barrier and the other side of the relevant road.

2.  When a barrier is lowered its uppermost surface shall be not less than 900 millimetres above the road surface at the centre of the relevant road and the underclearance between a barrier and the road surface shall not exceed 1000 millimetres.

3.  A barrier shall be provided with means to raise it and hold it in the raised position and means to release the holding mechanism. A barrier may be so linked with any other barrier at the crossing that the barriers can be raised or lowered simultaneously from either side of the crossing.

4.  A cover shall be provided for each pivot post for the purposes of guarding against danger to any person from the operating mechanism and the moving parts of the barrier machine.

5.  The barriers when lowered shall display on both front and rear faces alternate red and white bands each approximately 600 millimetres long and to the full depth of the barriers. A strip of retroreflecting material not less than 50 millimetres deep, in colour matching that of the bands, shall be provided along the full length of each band.

6.  The barriers may be fitted with skirts which fence in the space between the barriers and the road surface. Skirts shall be of a light colour.

7.  Electric lamps may be fitted to the barriers and each lamp shall show a red light, when illuminated, in each direction along the relevant road.

8.—(1) So far as reasonably practicable—

(a) a barrier shall be constructed so as to be strong enough to withstand distortion or fracture, and

(b) a skirt fitted to a barrier shall be capable of withstanding damage,

caused by wind pressure or by a farm animal.

(2) Subject to (1) above, a barrier (with a skirt, if fitted) shall be as light in weight as possible.