What is it with men and bars… Community Beat Officer Ann Urqhart examines the evidence of ScotRail’s new fencing with Constable Richard Mansfield and contractor Clem Munro.

AS MANY as 12 to 15 Merkinchers on average risk their lives every day crossing the railway line between South Kessock and the Carse industrial estate. Mostly they are saving themselves a walk round by Thornbush Road, fetching home to the eight streets groceries from the Co-op or Lidl’s or goods from B&Q or the other shops in the Telford Street complex - the numerous abandoned trolleys are evidence of this.

But although there have been no serious accidents in recent years, British Transport Police have been very concerned about the dangers of this shortcut for some time, for as many as 14 or 15 trains go along this line every day - more in summer. And although trains are obliged to travel at just 10 mph on this stretch, modern engines are very quiet running and can take the unwary by surprise. There are various apocryphal tales of people falling on the line and narrowly escaping death, mainly thanks to a speedy reaction from sharp-eyed drivers.

For some years there has been a six foot fence east of the line, but this was soon breached.
Now ScotRail has employed Easter Ross contractor Clem Munro to erect an eight-foot vandal resistant fence west of the line, from Deep Freeze Supplies to the woody scrubland - a distance of 300m, at a cost of £15,000, much to the annoyance of regular users! It seems likely that this will be extended all the way to Clachnaharry.
Constable Richard Mansfield told News & Views: “This has been of great concern for some time. The new fence is actually more secure than that on the 186 mph Chunnel link - in France the high-speed tracks have no fencing at all!”