Railway crossing where actress died is to close

The railway crossing on Gipsy Lane in Needham Market will be closed

A footpath will be built underneath a railway to improve the safety of pedestrians.

Network Rail will close the Gipsy Lane level crossing in Needham Market, Suffolk, and create a footpath in an existing culvert underpass and link to Stowmarket Road.

The closure of the crossing has been the plan since the death of former film actress, Brenda McFarland - also known as Olive - who was hit by a train in 2011.

Lawrence Bowman, Network Rail’s route director for the region, said the closure had been "a long time coming".

Network Rail, which owns and manages the crossing, was fined £4m at Ipswich Crown Court after Ms McFarland's death.

It said individual mistakes had been made but the firm had not ignored warnings or been guilty of systemic failings.

Olive McFarland (centre) appeared in BBC costume drama The Three Daughters of M Dupont, The Frightened City, and The Sweeney

An inspection into the incident by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch found Network Rail could have done more to prevent the 82-year-old's death, and said the company had been warned about the crossing, and its alerts for approaching trains were "not sufficient".

After the incident, a temporary speed restriction for trains was put in place and the crossing distance was reduced and the gate repositioned.

'Improve safety'

Mr Bowman said: "The new footpath construction is under way and a safer pathway for pedestrians to cross this very busy stretch of railway will be open early next year.

"This will significantly improve safety for everyone who needs to cross the railway at Gipsy Lane and for those working and travelling on it."

Construction will begin this month and is due to be completed by the end of 2024.

A memorial plaque for Ms McFarland will be placed at the entrance.