Furness Rail Line: Row over 'dangerous' level crossing set to continue

The crossing, near Bailey Lane in Grange, is more than 165 years old

A row over plans to shut a "dangerous" level crossing is set to roll on, after a council voted not to send an order to the government for consideration.

South Lakeland councillors opted to abandon a recommended order to close the footpath, which passes over the railway near Bailey Lane in Grange.

It means that Westmorland and Furness Council will not send it to the Secretary of State for confirmation.

Network Rail can still apply directly to permanently close the crossing.

Green councillor Judy Filmore said: "Whatever decision we decide as a committee it will need to go to the Secretary of State and I personally, as a committee member and a councillor, don't want us as an authority to have to pay £45,000 again to go to a public inquiry.

"I'd rather we abandoned the order which means Network Rail would have the choice to go to the Secretary of State."

'Danger to the public'

The issue began in 2017 when the former Cumbria County Council placed a temporary traffic regulation order on the crossing, at the request of Network Rail, after it was physically closed due to a near-miss incident.

It has since been extended several times but will expire in April 2025.

Network Rail applied to divert the footpath that goes over the level crossing, which was approved by the council in 2019 but due to objections, it was sent to the Secretary of State.

The case was then assessed, prompting a public inquiry which ruled against it, due to doubts over Network Rail data, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Changes to improve safety were recommended.

Vicki Bentley, from Network Rail, said the recommendations had been tested and it was found that the "risk reduction would not be enough to protect the public".

"Network Rail wishes to close this pedestrian railway crossing because it believes it is a danger to the public and there is a safer alternative via the nearby underpass," she said.

Thirteen objections were received, including one from the Ramblers, which called the closure a "loss of amenity".

Councillors voted four to two in favour of the abandonment of the order.