MADAM – The recent report in the SNJ about a bus colliding with the level crossing barrier in Oldends Lane states that: “It is thought that the bus did not have enough time...” Whoever thought that clearly has no idea of the Highway Code.

The time between the amber light (meaning STOP) showing at the crossing and the barrier starting to descend is 12 seconds.

At a mere 10mph a vehicle covers about five metres in one second, so in 12 seconds the bus would have covered at least 60 metres.

Surely the reason for the collision was that the lights were ignored.

It’s just not worth the risk for the sake of a few minutes, is it?

Gareth Zimmerman

Advanced driver trainer

Stroud