Media centre

Tuesday 18 Aug 2015

Update on Gipsy Lane level crossing, Needham Market

Region & Route:

| Southern: Wessex

| Southern

Residents from Needham Market and representatives from Network Rail and a number of local authorities in Suffolk have formed a new group to find a long-term solution for Gipsy Lane level crossing.

The new panel met in July and visited the crossing to discuss options to replace it with an alternative means of getting across the railway, including an underpass or ramped bridge.

In November, the panel is expected to hold a public drop-in exhibition for the wider community to display proposals for the level crossing.

The exhibition will enable residents to provide feedback on each of the available options, before any decisions are made.

Richard Schofield, Network Rail route managing director, said: “We are fully committed to working with the local community and hope that by setting up this panel we can reach a solution.

“Every time a footpath or a road meets the railway, there is a risk. It’s our aim to reduce this as much as we can. This rail line is only going to get busier in the coming years as demand for passenger and freight services increases, so it’s important we find a way forward.”

Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, Cllr James Finch said: “I am hopeful that we can find a solution that fits with the needs of the local community and solves this issue that has clearly divided opinion in the past.”

Mid-Suffolk district Cllr Wendy Marchant, ward member for Needham Market, said: “I am really pleased that Network Rail and the community are now constructively engaging in a conversation about the Gipsy Lane crossing. My own opinion is that an underpass would be ideal. It is a well-used pathway and the future of the crossing requires careful consideration.”

Residents' representative, Graham Oxenham, said: “A concern upon closing the level crossing is the potential for increased risk of pedestrian injury on alternative routes, and accessibility for existing less-able users. The local preference is for an underpass. It's great that all parties now meet together under one roof to share issues, with the aim of finding the optimal solution at Gipsy Lane."

ENDS