Wareham's 'dangerous' station crossing earmarked for closure

A level crossing in Dorset branded one of the most dangerous in the country has been earmarked for closure.

The Wareham station crossing has more than three times the number of incidents than any other crossing in the South West area.

Network Rail said it was part of a national programme of closures and was in talks with Dorset and Purbeck councils about an alternative route.

A date for the closure is yet to be announced.

Two years ago, manually operated gates were installed at the railway crossing in the centre of the town as a temporary solution.

Before the barriers were installed CCTV revealed people were putting their lives at risk for the sake of saving a few minutes.

The footage included a mother pushing her baby in a pram while an oncoming train headed their way.

Dorset County Council, which manages the crossing, said at the time it was "one of the most dangerous in the country".

The only alternative to the crossing is a nearby footbridge, which poses difficulties for people with prams or pushchairs, the elderly and people with disabilities.