Battle to stop closure of Shropshire level crossing is still on
The fight is still on to stop the closure of a level crossing that residents say would "cut a village in two".
Proposals to close the level crossing at the heart Ashford Bowdler, near Ludlow, remain on the table.
The option is still being looked at by Network Rail despite residents unanimously telling them they did not want it at a heated public meeting two weeks ago – and a threat from Philip Dunne MP to take the matter to the Secretary of State.
At the meeting on January 9, Christine Booth, operations risk advisor for Network Rail, received a round of applause when she said: "If the whole community is against it, I might be speaking out of turn, but my recommendation will be to go for renewal (of the level crossing)."
But Vivienne Parry, Shropshire councillor for Ludlow South which covers the Ashford Bowdler area, said Network Rail representatives met with Shropshire Council officers on Thursday, and revealed that all options, including closure, were still being considered.
Councillor Parry said: "I'm a bit upset because I thought they were going to say that they were definitely looking at renewing the level crossing at Ashford Bowdler, and not going to close it. But they said no decisions had been made.
"It's still a battle for these people in Ashford Bowdler because Network Rail are still looking at closing it.
"They (Network Rail) know what they want and they're quite determined.
"I think people will be very disappointed that they're still going to have to fight a bit harder."
She said Shropshire Council is in talks with both Network Rail and Arriva Trains Wales about starting a partnership to work on plans for the rail network in the county over the coming years.
Network Rail representatives met with herself and Shropshire Council officers on Thursday, she said, where they were told up to 50 extra trains could be using the line between Shrewsbury and Newport, South Wales, in the coming years.
The rail firm is reviewing all level crossings on the line in a £75 million scheme to improve safety and plans are for rail traffic to be managed using a new points system based in Cardiff.
The rail firm is proposing to close the crossing at Ashford Bowdler to all but pedestrians, and instead build a new road for traffic linking the part of the village that would be cut off to main roads. Residents say this would do terrible damage to the historic village.
