MP secures meeting over rail crossing plans

Hundreds of people have protested against plans to close the crossing

An MP will meet with the rail minister to discuss a level crossing that lies at the centre of more than 12 years of protests.

Campaigners have been fighting since 2012 against a proposal by Network Rail to close the crossing in Wareham, Dorset.

Mid Dorset and North Poole MP Vikki Slade raised the issue in Parliament, saying it was "ridiculous" the issue had "been allowed to remain unsolved for so long".

The Office of Rail and Road said it did not have a role in the legal process for closing a level crossing. Network Rail said shutting the crossing was "the most effective way of removing risk".

"The crossing has a history of misuse, to the point where our regulator, the Office of Rail and Road, issued us an improvement notice which led to the introduction of electronic gates and crossing attendants, funded by Dorset Council," the spokesperson said.

They said there had been "years of efforts to explore safer and fully accessible alternatives" but previous proposals were not supported by the authority.

"While we know this proposal is contentious, we are committed to working closely with Dorset Council, local stakeholders, and the community to find a way forward," they said.

Crossing cameras recorded pedestrians ignoring red lights before barriers were installed in 2010

There has been no road level crossing next to Wareham station since the town's bypass was built in 1973.

In 2010, manually-operated gates were installed at the pedestrian crossing, which is next to a stepped footbridge, after Network Rail reported a high number of people ignoring danger signals.

Two years later, the rail authority said it would shut the crossing as part of a national programme of closures.

A proposal for replacement ramps fell through in 2013 because it was "not able to be constructed", Dorset Council said.

Planning permission for further ramps was refused in 2015 and 2018, and a decision for a fourth proposal in November last year was postponed to allow time for discussions with the rail regulator.

'Really pleased'

Ms Slade said she initially requested a meeting in November.

In Parliament, she said: "Network Rail's latest excuse is that it's the Office of Road and Rail and the Office of Road and Rail says that it's Network Rail.

"Will the minister please meet with me so that we can bang heads together and get this resolved once and for all?"

She said she had got commitment for a meeting with the rail minister, Lord Peter Hendy.

Ms Slade said: "I am really pleased that after all this time, agreement was reached in the house today for a meeting with the rail minister so that we can finally put this issue to bed."