It's another downside of centralising control and removing local signal boxes at stations/crossings etc. Whilst there was a signal box at Bare Lane, the signalman would make sure that people got their train - there was a signal on the Morecambe platform protecting the crossing so the gates didn't need to be closed until the train was ready to depart. Lancaster bound trains would be held if people were stuck on the wrong side of the crossing. Now, the crossing is semi-automatic/overseen by Preston, by anonymous signallers who don't care whether people miss their train or not, nor whether pedestrians/motorists are held up by the gates being closed for silly amounts of time. No doubt at all it's more "efficient" for Network Rail, in terms of fewer staff, not having the costs of a signal box, cheaper infrastructure (i.e. no/few signals etc) but it's certainly not more efficient for the general public affected by it all. I think Network Rail needs to be challenged more and forced to take into account the effects on the general public, both rail travellers and otherwise. It's not as if Bare Lane is on a busy/fast line.
If the line has been resignalled in the past few years, then had they left the box in situ, the signal will not have been allowed so close to the crossing, so it would have been moved to a new location, therefore whether the Signaller was at the station, or in a location 100 miles away, the result would be the same, the Signaller will get an 'alarm' activated by a track circuit, which is the time the barriers must be lowered in order for the train the get green aspects, it has nothing to do with less staff, nor cost cutting, or even fewer signals ! It is not Network Rails fault, but the rules for signal sighting / location etc have changed as the years have gone on, what was 'acceptable' in the 50's and 60's is no longer tolerated, and I think you will find that Signallers DO care when they put the barriers down, but there is a limit on how long they can wait without causing delay to the train, and if waiting too long, and delaying too many trains ending up on a discipline charge ! You say the train for Lancaster would be 'held' if people were stuck on the wrong side, this would then make the train late, which then opens the can of worms of who pays for the delay NR or the TOC for holding the train ? If it's delayed by 3 mins, might suffer loss of path, then get stuck behind an on time train, and then even later, connections lost, after 15 mins, delay and repay kicks in... more money, all because some people could not get to the station in time !
Even at Stations with no crossings you see it everyday, in the peak hours, people running from the Car Park, onto the platform with seconds to spare before the train goes ! you can see the panic in their eyes sometimes, and then get annoyed if the train goes without them
Looking at the line up for Bare Lane, it seems a very random timetable, sometimes there are 3 an hour, sometimes 4, and at one point 6 in the hour, looking at maps, on the way to Morecombe the barriers should be down and signal cleared before the train passes Morecombe South Junction on the Down, and when it's leaving Morecombe on the in the Up direction.