73-year-old drove onto crossing as 90mph Glasgow-bound train approached

Level crossing: Kenneth McKie ignored a stop sign and drove onto rail crossing.Deadline News

A 73-year-old man narrowly avoided a serious rail accident after he drove through a level crossing barrier as a high speed train approached the junction.

The train was just seconds from the level crossing when Kenneth McKie ignored a red light and drove onto the Glasgow-bound railway track.

A passer-by shouted out at the pensioner, who is hard of hearing, to reverse off the crossing as a train approached the junction at 90mph. McKie was able to back his Citroen Berlingo off the track with only seconds to spare.

At Perth Sheriff Court on Thursday, McKie, of Croft Avenue, Dunning, Perthshire, was banned from driving for six months and fined £300.

He admitted ignoring the red flashing stop sign and driving onto the Forteviot level crossing on November 10.

Fiscal depute Nicola Manison told the court: "Just before 12.30pm the accused was seen to be driving towards the Forteviot level crossing. The barriers began to descend as the accused approached.

“However, he drove through the red lights at the crossing, causing the barriers to collide with the bonnet of his vehicle. A passer-by shouted at him to reverse as a train was due to pass. The accused managed to reverse and a few seconds later the train passed through the level crossing at 90mph.”

Solicitor Billy Somerville, defending, said: "He does live near there and uses the road on a regular basis. He cannot explain the lapse in concentration on that day. It was a momentary lapse.”

Mr Somerville told the court there was no suggestion McKie was unfit to drive as his driving licence had only been renewed a few days before the incident.

Sheriff Michael Fletcher told McKie: "Of all the road traffic signs that exist which should be obeyed, this must be the most important one of the lot. That is illustrated by the fact the train went through just seconds after you got off the rails. This is a serious transgression. It is certainly not at the lower end of this kind of offence."

The Forteviot junction, in southern Perthshire, is one of the busiest in the country as it links high speed trains from Glasgow with those bound for Aberdeen and Inverness.

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