The long-standing issue of Oakham's level crossings are causing residents daily suffering, a councillor has claimed. 

The issue was discussed at Rutland County Council's scrutiny meeting last week with Councillor Ray Payne (Lib Dem) saying that the town's two crossings at the top of High Street and another at Brooke Road were 'probably closed now more in an average day than they are open'. He said the situation was impacting on residents' quality of life. 

He said: "It also has a very negative economic impact to the town as a whole, because I was stuck there for 12 minutes this evening, thinking am I going to be late for this meeting. 

"It happens all the time and the queue, when I did get through down the High Street was back to a certain famous pub after a fictitious admiral [The Admiral Hornblower]. And you think of the road safety implications, you think of pedestrian safety, you think of frustration levels. Those crossings are probably closed more now in an average day than they are open. 

"So, although it's not our direct responsibility, we in our county town are suffering on a daily basis and I think we need to have words with British rail and say: 'Is there nothing you can do?' 

Scrutiny chairperson Lucy Stephenson (Con) said the 'crossing can make the difference between being on time and embarrassingly late' and said she had known the crossing to come down even when a train did not come through. 

Councillor Payne said it would be interesting for the authority to know the operating procedures of the rail company and the reasons why the crossings go down for so long and why. He suggested the county join forces with Oakham Town Council to raise the issue. 

Cllr David Wilby (Con) suggested it was a job for the chief executive with the scrutiny officer suggesting the chairperson speak with the monitoring officer about who the letter should be addressed from.