Traffic woes as railway barriers arms come down with no trains in sight at Hastings

Barrier arms were down at level rail crossings across Hastings at 3pm on Monday, but no trains were running on the tracks.

The bells were ringing and lights were flashing lights as the barriers remained down, causing traffic gridlock.

A motorist said pedestrians were taking their chances and dashing across the tracks during the malfunction in the centre of the city at the corner of Eastbourne St and Railway Rd.

A fault on rail crossing barrier arms also caused traffic problems in Hastings on March 12. That one was caused by a power cut.

“When an issue like this power outage occurs, barrier arms at level crossings are designed to lower to prevent entry into the rail corridor and ensure the safety of pedestrians and vehicles,” a KiwiRail spokesperson said at the time. A manual switch then required linerunners to perform it.

KiwiRail has been approached for comment.