Emergency Order Shuts Frogmire Lane Crossing After Child Near Miss

Network Rail has enforced the immediate closure of Frogmire Lane level crossing in Knaresborough after securing a 21-day emergency order, citing what it describes as serious and compounding safety risks. The move follows a recent near miss involving a child, an incident that sharpened concerns about the dangers posed at the pedestrian crossing.

The site had already been under scrutiny, with Network Rail sounding out public opinion on a potential closure before the emergency action was taken. A combination of infrastructure and behavioural issues were highlighted as part of the safety case. These included:

• The curved railway alignment, which severely restricts pedestrian sight lines.
• Seasonal vegetation growth on a steep embankment, making it extremely difficult to manage visibility safely.
• Trains coasting along this section of the line, making them harder to hear approaching.
• A high proportion of vulnerable crossing users, including school-aged children.
• Long-standing issues of misuse and vandalism.

According to Network Rail, the layout of the line and surrounding landscape makes it particularly difficult for pedestrians to judge approaching trains, while the number of young users adds to the overall level of risk. The history of vandalism and unsafe behaviour at the crossing has also weighed heavily in the decision-making process.

The local authority accepted the application for emergency closure on safety grounds. Dave Smith, Network Rail route level crossing manager, said:

“Our view is that Frogmire Lane level crossing presents an unacceptable level of risk, and our application for an emergency closure on safety grounds has been accepted by the local authority. We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused to crossing users. Decisions like this are not taken lightly, but our priority is always to keep the public safe, and the combination of poor sight lines, high levels of misuse and the number of vulnerable users means urgent action was needed.”

The emergency order is set to run for 21 days, but Network Rail has indicated it will seek to extend the closure for six months while longer-term options for the crossing are explored.

Image: Network Rail