Historic Wem signal box will be demolished

Chiefs at Network Rail have also announced that the box in Wem will be demolished in near the future.

It is to be removed in the rail giant's £20 million plan to ditch manned signal boxes on the Shrewsbury to Crewe line. Level crossing barriers will be remotely controlled 123 miles away in Cardiff.

Plans to scrap the box were first revealed back in 2009 with residents immediately concerned automated signals would put lives at risk on Britain's sixth most misused level crossing.

Other residents had hoped to re-open the box as a tearoom or museum to keep it as part of the town's heritage.

But Network Rail spokeswoman Mavis Choong confirmed it will be fully automated from October and eventually removed.

She said: "We will be upgrading the level crossing this October with modernised equipment as part of our re-signalling scheme. The signal box will become disused as a result and there are plans to remove the box."

Councillor Pauline Dee said she is "extremely worried" for people's safety now the news has been confirmed.

She said: "This is dreadful news and I have spoken to a lot of people who are very concerned. This is one of the most dangerous level crossings in the country because you have four roads leading to it.

"Independent reports have stressed how dangerous this crossing is. What is going to happen if the barrier gets stuck up or down?

"If it gets stuck while up, who or what is going to stop cars from driving across?"

Councillor Dee said: "The real concern is it will be controlled 123 miles away. It seems very odd to me to control something as important as a level crossing from so far away. We know there has been hiccups with the crossing in past. A hiccup again could lead to a tragedy."

She added: "I do not want to see the box controlled from Cardiff at all, but if we can't stop that I certainly don't want to see it demolished. It is part of the town's heritage and should be handed over to the Civic Society or whoever wanted it."