CCTV shows lorry driver ignore red lights on Essex level crossing

A skip lorry driver in Essex flouted signals from a level crossing to drive onto and stuck on railway lines after his vehicle was caught in the lowering barriers. Paul Brandreth’s vehicle was stranded on the railway lines at Chitts Hill to the west of Colchester. The 48-year-old, of Dedham Road, Boxted, failed to stop at the crossing despite signals and red lights flashing indicating the barriers were closing and that a train was approaching.

The result saw his skip lorry become tangled in the closing barriers and forcing his vehicle to stop right on the tracks. Thankfully, trains were alerted and halted because of the incident, which happened in November last year, and there were no injuries or severe damage as a result. Despite this, police fear that had trains been any closer, the situation could have been much more serious.

Brandreth’s actions caused considerable delays to the train services and cost Network Rail thousands of pounds. : Halifax cashpoint in Witham ‘significantly damaged’ after being ripped from wall as Essex Police cordon off scene Brandreth appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, March 8 where he pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention following an investigation by British Transport Police.

The magistrates’ bench gave him nine points on his driving license and ordered him to pay costs totalling GBP545. A spokesman for the force said: “The court heard how at midday on November 29, 2021, Brandreth attempted to drive a skip lorry across Chitts Hill level crossing in Essex. This was despite the red signals indicating that the barriers were starting to lower.

“CCTV footage shows the shocking moment the vehicle is struck by the barrier and the lorry is stopped in its tracks. Trains were stopped and cautioned whilst engineers attended the incident, causing significant delays to passengers and costing Network Rail a total of GBP5,175.” CCTV footage of the incident showed the barriers at a low level by the time Brandreth was at the crossing, but despite this, he still carried on driving, with the skip-lifting equipment on his lorry getting tangled and stranding him.

British Transport Police Inspector Steve Webster, has warned of the consequences of trying to skip a level crossing. He said: “Had a train arrived moments sooner this incident could have potentially had life-threatening consequences for Brandreth, and for any other passengers and drivers on the line. “Level crossings must be taken seriously, and I’m pleased to see that careless drivers are being punished for trying to beat the system and causing significant disruption to the network.

Have a little patience and wait until it’s safe to cross – it really isn’t worth risking yours and others’ lives just to save a few minutes.”