South Yorkshire Times, April 11th, 1970
“South Yorkshire Times” printer, Roy Humphries, motors back and forth through the district and his travels bring him to the crossings several times a day. “I am using the crossings all the time” he says “and the amount of time I lose here is incredible. The crossings are always closed. I am really glad the authorities are going to do away with it. A road bridge will be just the job.”
Another local man who has been forced to spend several hours of his life waiting for the gates to open, is Goldthorpe collier, Mr C. J. Ratcliffe. “These crossings have made me late for work once or twice” he says “as they are always closed. It is about time they were done away with – the sooner the better.” Mr. Ratcliffe, a Conisbrough man, was one of the many who have expressed delight at the coming demise of the crossing.
Another was Skipton lorry driver, Paul Kim, who ran the gauntlet of the crossings several times a week in the past, but now has the dubious pleasure of passing through just once a week. “When I am approaching this road, I know full well the crossing is going to be closed when I reach them. I try to gauge it so that I arrive just as they were open, but I found it impossible. It will be much better with a road bridge, and all I can say is the sooner the crossings are finished with the better for all concerned.”
Mr. A. Holmes, a Sheffield lorry driver, well knows the meaning of the song ‘Why are we Waiting?’ He uses the crossing at least once a week and is resigned to a wait at them. I have had no particular trouble here he said but after the number of times I have been held up, I have come to realise that it must take thousands of man hours just waiting here for the gates to open. It is going to cost a tremendous amount of money getting rid of the crossings but it will be worth it in the end. “