NERVOUS drivers are risking their lives by stopping on a controversial level crossing because they don’t trust the safety barriers, it was claimed last night.

An Oxford Mail investigation found 26 drivers in just one hour came to a complete standstill on the crossing at Sandy Lane in Yarnton to check there were no trains coming.

People living nearby have raised a series of safety concerns after the crossing was the site of a fatal accident earlier this year.

Tom Pizzey, 85, of Banbury, died when the car he was inside was hit by a freight train on January 2.

Yesterday motorists were warned they were increasing their risk of being struck by a train rather than being safer. The problem came to light during a meeting between Network Rail representatives and Cherwell district councillors earlier this month. During the 20-minute meeting beside the crossing, about six drivers were spotted stopping to peer down the railway line to make sure a train was not approaching.

Drivers slowing and stopping prompted Network Rail’s level crossing manager for Thames Valley East Alan Durham to call, “Go on, drive on” in between answering the councillors’ queries.

He said: “That is a huge problem. People do all sorts of crazy things on a level crossing, like reverse back.”

Following the site visit, an Oxford Mail reporter counted 26 cars out of 198 in one hour stopping completely on the crossing and another 11 slowing to a crawl on April 9.

Cherwell District councillor Alaric Rose, for Kidlington North, said: “Drivers are nervous considering what happened in January.

“They probably won’t be completely reassured until the investigation is over.

“It is extremely dangerous – never drive onto a level crossing until the road is clear on the other side, and never stop on a crossing.”

Mr Rose admitted he had been driving a longer way around.

He said: “I think I will start to use the crossing again. But from now on I will make sure to leave plenty of space between myself and the car in front in case they should stop on the crossing.”

He said 18 people had contacted him with concerns about the crossing since the incident on January 2.

Many had been in touch to voice their own experiences of problems with the barriers.

He said he was now hoping to organise events to educate adults and children on how to use crossings correctly, including not stopping on them.

Cherwell District Councillor Michael Gibbard, for Yarnton, Gosford and Water Eaton, said: “I didn’t realise quite how often people do stop on the crossing.”

Network Rail last month revealed there had been 11 faults at the Sandy Lane level crossing near Yarnton in 2012, and 15 at nearby Yarnton Lane level crossing.

The details were only exposed after Mr Pizzey’s death.

Mr Gibbard also questioned Network Rail on why the crossing did not have full length barriers.

Mr Durham said that CCTV would have to be installed with the full-length barriers and manned 24 hours a day in case someone because stuck and trapped in the middle of the crossing.

He said a scheme like that would cost millions and not be economically viable for the small crossing.

Tim Emptage, district councillor for Kidlington South, urged Network Rail to improve signs around the crossing, particularly to inform drivers to use the emergency phones should a fault or failure occur.

Mr Durham insisted that if there was a fault the system was “fail-safe” because it would fail with the barriers down and traffic lights red.

The Oxford Mail also snapped one driver going through the crossing on an amber warning light and another on a red light.

Mr Emptage said: “It is just as dangerous to go through the crossing when the lights are flashing.

“People really have to obey the signs rather then try and beat the train.

“It is frightening really that people are doing that. It is only a matter of waiting minutes. It is better to be five minutes late in this world than 30 years too early in the next.”

A British Transport Police investigation into Mr Pizzey’s death is ongoing.