Sir.-I write regarding the tragic train crash near Newbury on November 6.

It is tragic that people were killed, whether they be passengers, train staff or others, but any clamour for significant changes to practice on safety with regard to the half-barrier level crossings - of which there are some 8,000 in the UK - should be put in the appropriate context.

While there is already a programme focused on the phasing out of the half-barrier level crossings on high-speed routes in Hampshire, whatever one does this is still going to be subject to the extreme possibilities of suicide or vandalism and malpractice.

There should also be the context that very few people are killed on the railways these days, integrity of coaching stock is very tough and the response time, should emergencies arise, is within minutes.

On the roads, the 3,300 people who are killed every year barely get a mention.

Travel by most forms of transport is invariably a lot safer than it used to be and no doubt conclusions will be reached from the current investigations.

But we must have that sense of reality as well.

-Mike Roberts, County councillor, Aldershot South.