Probe into rail crossing claims

Locals said this photograph shows the lights not working

Allegations faulty lights at a railway crossing without barriers are to blame for accidents and near misses are to be investigated by a railway regulator.

People who use the Bunchrew crossing said they have photographic evidence the warnings do not work properly.

Network Rail said the crossing near Inverness is safe.

The independent Office of Rail Regulation said it would investigate local complaints, which it said were being treated seriously.

Network Rail has always maintained that the crossing is safe and that train drivers are alerted to a fault at the crossing by a separate warning light.

'Russian roulette'

Concerns over the safety of railway level crossings without barriers have been raised in the Scottish Parliament by a Highlands Nationalist MSP, Dave Thompson.

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Local resident Tina Marshall says a train missed her by 20 seconds

Local resident Tina Marshall said she had photographic evidence of the lights failing on her twice in one day last month.

She said: "I had a look, lights not on.

"Saw one of my neighbours down there who was sitting at the crossing, because obviously we were all concerned there was a major problem at the crossing that morning.

"Drove over the crossing, pulled the car in at the lay-by, got out of my car to go and compare pictures with my neighbour and to my absolute horror, turned round and there is the train pulling up from Inverness, less than 20 seconds after I had gone over the crossing."

Ms Marshall said she felt "physically sick" at the thought that she had driven across seconds before the train.

Another local resident Charles Leakie said: "We live in fear all the time. Every time we come down to this crossing we are uncertain.

"It is no exaggeration to liken it to playing Russian roulette."