Letter: Vehicle Use of Ash Level Crossing Can Be Stopped Once New Bridge is Open

Published on: 31 Jan, 2024
Updated on: 31 Jan, 2024

From: Bibhas Neogi

In response to: Network Rail Casts Doubts Over Ash Station Footbridge Project

I remember mentioning in a previous comment “…after the bridge comes into operation, the level crossing could remain closed during the time between the first and the last trains together with a footbridge with steps/stairs and lifts.

“Such an arrangement would deal with the safety issues and at the same time this cheaper footbridge with lifts connecting the platforms could be installed by Network Rail within its boundaries and wholly paid for by them.”

I would think the Highway Authority would be within its rights to stop up the road on both sides of the crossing for motorised and non-motorised users since the route over Ash Bridge constitutes the replacement route. But obviously, the route is too long for use by non-motorised users ie pedestrians and perhaps also for disability-moped riders and cyclists.

Network Rail is obliged under the Disability Discrimination Act to provide access to all able and disabled users alike.

Network Rail says a lift would be included within the design that would make the bridge accessible for all: “These lifts would be available constantly with a maintenance plan in place to deal swiftly with any outage making the lifts unavailable.”

This means that either there would be two lifts at each end to cover constant availability in case of breakdown of a lift, or the level crossing would remain and would be operational when no trains are running as I have indicated above.

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