'Near miss' at railway crossing

A motorist who drove over a Christchurch rail crossing as the barriers came down was lucky not to get hit by an approaching train.

A KiwiRail spokesperson called the incident a "a near miss" after the driver crossed the Gasson St tracks about 9am on Wednesday as the train approached.

The vehicle did not stop, even though the crossing lights were flashing and the barriers were operational.

The train, which was towing 25 carriages, stopped in time to avoid the vehicle.

It remained stationary for almost 10 minutes, blocking the street and causing a traffic jam.

A police spokesperson said the train moved on about 9.08am. No injuries were reported after the incident.

-APL