Furness Rail Line: Decision due over 'dangerous' level crossing

Bailey Lane level crossing in Grange, Cumbria, is "too dangerous", say campaigners

A level crossing in Cumbria which is over 165 years old is "a danger to the public" and should be closed, campaigners have said.

Network Rail said there were "high levels of misuse" at the pedestrian crossing near Bailey Lane at Grange.

A public inquiry earlier ruled against an order to divert walkers.

Westmorland and Furness Council is due to decide on submitting a new order to the government which would change the route of the path crossing the line.

In 2019, former authority Cumbria County Council approved an order which would have seen the closure of the crossing.

The case was assessed by the Secretary of State, prompting a public inquiry which ruled against the order in September 2022 due to doubts over Network Rail data.

'Safer alternative'

The authority made a fresh order in January this year, which again received several objections, meaning it would once more need to approach the Secretary of State.

The Ramblers Association had said the closure of the level crossing to pedestrians would be a "loss of amenity".

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that Network Rail had been given recommendations to improve safety at the site, but chose not to as the measures were "not practical, cost-effective" or would not make it "sufficiently safe".

Network Rail said it believed the crossing would "inevitably lead to a fatality" as it was subject to "high usage" and "high levels of vulnerable users", adding that there was "a safer alternative via the nearby underpass".

The Ramblers Association said it feared the closure of the crossing would reduce the number of places to access the popular parts of the nearby promenade from the rest of the town.

But ex-Grange mayor Ron Shapland, who has raised concerns several times, said it should be closed over health and safety fears.

"It was my belief that it was too dangerous and unacceptable to have a level crossing to the promenade in the centre of the popular seaside resort of Grange over Sands adjacent to a children's playground."