BRITISH Transport Police has revealed that action has been taken against 30 motorists in the area for misusing railway level crossings.

And more than 70 incidents have been reported in three years at two level crossings in the district.

BTP has given out safety advice to thousands of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, at more than 300 crossings around the country, as part of an initiative called Operation Look to tackle the problem and educate people about the dangers.

During the week-long operation, 38 motorists were sent Notices of Impending Prosecution and many more drivers were warned about their behaviour.

Officers handed out thousands of leaflets on safe crossing use.

A BTP spokesman said that figures taking in Bradford, Leeds and Skipton, for the period April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2014, showed that five motorists were charged or summonsed for crossing misuse, a further four issued with fixed penalty notices, and 21 drivers were sent on safety awareness courses.

The spokesman said that between April 2011 and September 2014, BTP dealt with 30 incidents at Ducketts Crossing in Daleside Road, Pudsey, and 41 incidents at the Kildwick Crossing in Skipton Road, Cross Hills, near Keighley.

One incident, in August 2011, involved a people carrier, containing a family, getting stuck between the automatic barriers at the Kildwick Crossing when the driver tried to run a red light.

CCTV footage showed children and elderly people fleeing in panic from the Seat Alhambra and the driver smashing the vehicle through the barrier to safety. The 32-year-old man, of Manningham, Bradford, was later given a suspended prison sentence and banned from driving for 18 months.

Some of the incidents could also relate to animals on the line.

Inspector Becky Warren, of BTP, said: "While we are committed to enforcement, the main purpose of this week of action was education.

"Many of the people we spoke to during Operation Look were simply not aware of the dangers their actions posed to their safety and that of others."

Tina Hughes, of Network Rail, said: "It is hard to imagine why anyone would deliberately go through red lights or barriers coming down at level crossings. We need to make a concerted effort to change people's attitudes and perceptions about crossings. Initiatives like Operation Look play a vital part in that process."