More than 50 railroad crossings across Denmark lack safety barriers, raising serious concerns after a fatal accident. Experts and unions are now demanding immediate action to secure these dangerous intersections.
Unprotected Railroad Crossings Widespread in Denmark
A week after a tragic train crash in Southern Denmark claimed one life and left two others critically injured, public awareness around railway safety has intensified. The accident occurred at a rail crossing without a barrier, and the exact cause is still under investigation.
Newly compiled data from DR reveals that Denmark has 54 public railroad crossings where vehicles can cross tracks without protective barriers. Even more alarmingly, 40 of these crossings also lack warning lights and sound signals, leaving drivers to rely solely on signage such as stop signs. This is significantly higher than previously reported by national rail infrastructure agency Banedanmark, as it also includes crossings operated by regional and private railway companies.
Experts Demand Immediate Safety Improvements
Railway safety experts and labor unions say these unprotected crossings pose a serious risk to public safety. On most of the affected lines, trains carry passengers, and misjudgments at these crossings can lead to deadly consequences. The Danish Society of Engineers (IDA) and the Danish Railway Union both argue that Denmark, in the year 2025, should no longer tolerate levels of safety reminiscent of a bygone era.
Despite low traffic levels on some of these rural roads, often gravel, agricultural, or privately owned, it is still possible for drivers to accidentally end up on the tracks. Experts suggest that even in areas where adding automatic barriers isn’t feasible, other physical deterrents like road chicanes or better signage should be considered.
Local Outcry Following Recent Tragedy
Following the fatal accident in Southern Jutland, local residents expressed frustration and demanded swift installation of safety barriers. Although there were light and sound warnings at the site of the crash, there was no physical barrier to stop the vehicle from entering the tracks. The incident has triggered renewed calls for a nationwide safety overhaul.
Rail Operators Acknowledge the Issue
Denmark’s railway operators, including Banedanmark, Midtjyske Jernbaner, Lokaltog, and Vestbanen, are responsible for these 54 crossings. Of them, Midtjyske Jernbaner owns 21 crossings on the Lemvig Line, all of which lack barriers, lights, and sounds, but do include stop signs.
The managing director of Midtjyske Jernbaner admitted that although many unsafe crossings have been removed in recent years, the remaining ones are particularly challenging either due to technical difficulties or lack of landowner cooperation. The company is now actively working on closing or upgrading the remaining crossings by rerouting nearby roads or installing barriers.
Planned Upgrades and Timeline
Banedanmark, which oversees eight of these dangerous crossings, announced that they all will be equipped with safety barriers by 2027 at the latest. On the route between Nørre Nebel and Varde alone, there are eight crossings without barriers, four of which have no lights or sound either. Plans are already in place to address these within the next year.
Lokaltog, which operates 17 crossings without barriers, plans to secure several of them through a regional renewal project. As part of the “Capital Region Renewal Plan for Local Rail Infrastructure 2020–2026,” the company expects to complete safety upgrades or closures on at least six crossings across the Gribskov Line and Lille Nord by the third quarter of 2026.
The Numbers Behind the Risk
Out of the 54 vehicle-accessible rail crossings without barriers:
– 40 lack any form of electronic warning like lights or sound.
– 21 are located on a single railway line, the Lemvig Line in West Jutland.
These figures do not include pedestrian-only crossings or manually secured private access points, which means the total number of unsignaled intersections may be even higher.
Crisis Prompts Urgent Action
While progress is underway, experts and citizens alike are calling for faster implementation. The recent fatality served as a grim reminder of what continues to be a glaring vulnerability in Denmark’s rail safety infrastructure. With nearly half of the country’s unprotected crossings offering no light or sound warnings, the call for modernization and accountability grows louder.
