Shropshire villagers to meet railway bosses over fears level crossing will close

Representatives from Network Rail will be visiting the region to speak to villagers from Ashford Bowdler, who say their community will be split by the permanent closure of a level crossing at the centre of the village.

Network Rail is reviewing the crossing as part of a £75 million project to modernise the railway between Shrewsbury and South Wales.

The increase in railway traffic may make the crossing unsafe, the company says, and are considering closing off the crossing and building a new link road north, for the 12 houses and church on the cut-off side of the village.

But the plan has met with outrage and a campaign to stop the plan.

Campaign spokesman John Hunt said he wants as many as possible to attend the meeting with Network Rail, at the village hall in nearby Richards Castle, at 4.30pm.

He said campaigners, joined by Philip Dunne MP and Vivienne Parry, Shropshire Councillor for Ludlow South, would be making their case and suggesting alternative options.

Mr Hunt said: "We believe Network Rail are coming here with only the one intention - of closing the level crossing.

"We believe the road exit that they're proposing would be far more dangerous to people than crossing the level crossing, and not only that, but it will cut the village in two."

He said people would have to drive miles out of their way, onto the main A49 road, to make a round trip to deliver a letter to the post box or attend a community event at the church, which would normally be a simple matter of walking down the road.

"We've got umber of options we're going to put forward to them," he said.

"There is a new radar system that is being used across Europe at the moment which is supposed to improve safety, they could use that.

"Or they could use a double gate system if they really believe it's a matter of safety.

"They may have a genuine desire to improve safety but we think this decision is mostly on business grounds - it's so that they can run more trains at higher speeds, and get more revenue.

"It seems crazy to spend £1 million plus for the sake of such a minimal risk. There hasn't been an accident there for something like 150 years.

"And this is public money they are spending," he said.

Network Rail has said the plans to close the level crossing are still in the consultation stage and only one of a range of options.

Residents will be given more information about the options and consulted before any decisions are made, a spokesman said.