Schoolchildren and “stupid” motorists are risking their lives at a railway level crossing rather than wait, police have warned.

On Monday, March 7, Merton police and British Transport Police (BTP) mounted a joint operation at the crossing near Mitcham Eastfields station, in which 15 vehicles were stopped after drivers ignored the flashing red lights.

Police also saw children from nearby St Mark’s Academy, Acacia Road, running under the crossing gates and ignoring safety warnings.

Sergeant Ben Driscoll, of the Metropolitan Police’s south-west area traffic unit, said “It seems incredible that people risk their lives just for the sake of a few extra minutes wait.

“Listening to our BTP colleagues, there are too many horrible stories of fatalities on our railways, most of which are wholly avoidable.”

Last year across the UK, 31 people were killed at level crossings - 13 people in vehicles and 18 pedestrians.

Police motorcyclists and a traffic car were positioned nearby to catch offending drivers, with officers from BTP and Figges Marsh safer neighbourhoods team dealing with people walking over the level crossing.

Each driver was issued with a £60 Fixed Penalty Notice and three penalty points on their driving licences, while pedestrians were fined £50 each for trespassing on the railway line.

PC Chris Shepherd, who led the operation for BTP, said: “Today’s operation has been a great success. I hope people realise our job is not about giving out tickets or stopping motorists - it’s all about saving lives.

“Our presence has highlighted the stupid risks drivers and others take for no good reason. “If we’ve made just one person change their bad habits, then the operation has been totally worthwhile.”

A spokesman from Merton police warned that similar level crossing operations are planned to take place soon.

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