Level crossing closure sought after local concerns
28 Jul 2022 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news
A level crossing over part of the Northumberland Line could close after the council responded to residents’ concerns.
Following the recent public consultation on the proposed closure of the crossing, south of the proposed Ashington train station, the Northumberland Line project team is proceeding with plans to apply to close the crossing with no replacement.
The Northumberland Line scheme will see passenger trains brought back into service on the existing railway line between Ashington and Newcastle, improving connectivity and accessibility in South East Northumberland.
The resulting increased train frequency and speed, and the high number of daily users, means the crossing will need to close before the passenger line becomes operational.
The recent consultation followed initial proposals to build an underpass close to the crossing’s current location, to provide an alternative route across the railway line.
Plans for the underpass were paused following concerns about anti-social behaviour and the council project team considered a number of other options.
These options – closure with no replacement, and a bridge close to the crossing’s current location – were presented alongside the underpass as part of the consultation.
More than 200 responses were received, with a majority supporting closure with no replacement. Key concerns raised about the other options included anti-social behaviour, disturbance to and intrusion into neighbouring properties and cost of construction.
An application for the closure of the crossing and the removal of the public right of way running over it has now been submitted to the County Council as the local highway authority. The council will now decide whether to close the crossing.
If the council does decide to close it, it will publicise its decision and there will be an opportunity for members of the public and stakeholders to comment before the closure can come into effect.
If objections are made at this point, the closure will be subject to confirmation by the Secretary of State, who will hold a local inquiry to hear the objections before deciding whether or not to confirm the closure.