Revered Purbeck actor Edward Fox has welcomed a Dorset Council U-turn on the future of Wareham’s ground level railway crossing – making it more likely to be saved for the town.
Following the strength of local feeling at a public protest on Saturday 1st February 2025, Dorset Council’s leader Nick Ireland announced their new support for Purbeck locals and total opposition to any closure of the crossing.
Edward Fox and Wareham MP Vikki Slade both campaigned strongly to retain the ground level rail crossing
Now in open conflict with Network Rail
It now makes a scheduled meeting between Wareham MP Vikki Slade and Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy on Monday 24th February 2025, more important than ever.
Network Rail, which owns the land currently in use as a manned crossing next to Wareham Station, has declared it is still intent on closing the crossing when Dorset’s Council lease on the land comes to an end in 2038.
But with Dorset Council now in open conflict with Network Rail, having previously tried to find a viable alternative to the crossing, pressure from the Rail Minister could help to bring the long-running saga to a successful conclusion for Wareham.
The ground level crossing allows residents on the town’s largest housing estates to access the town’s schools and shops, and hundreds turned out in protest to show their opposition to the closure.
Dorset Council leader Nick Ireland has announced their U-turn on the issue and will now oppose any closure of the level crossing
“Opposing the closure itself”
Nick Ireland, who attended the protest to observe, said:
“Network Rail, or whichever governing body is going to replace them, can potentially close the crossing in 2038 and Dorset Council’s previous approach has been to work with partners to find a solution to this closure so pedestrian access can be kept at this location.
“However, the strength of community opposition to previous proposed alternatives cannot be ignored. So, rather than accept that the removal of ground level pedestrian access is inevitable, we are now opposing the closure itself.
“This current administration will not seek to impose any solution that involves ramps or lifts. We are only interested in proposals that maintain ground level pedestrian access at the crossing without any lifts, ramps, or any other similar alternatives.”
Hundreds of people joined a protest at the start of February 2025 against Network Rail’s plans to close the crossing
“It is the right thing to do”
Nick Ireland added:
“I attended a public demonstration at the crossing alongside local councillors, Vikki Slade MP, and many other prominent community representatives including the actor, Edward Fox.
“It was a huge turnout of all ages, with a clear message; Wareham residents do not want ramps or lifts to replace the current arrangements. Walking across the ground level crossing will always be the best way to retain access.
“We will not spend any more taxpayers’ money chasing something that the residents of Wareham do not need or want.
“It is not Dorset Council’s responsibility to enable Network Rail to pursue deeply unpopular alternative options just so they can close the current crossing.
“We will stand alongside the Wareham community and fight the closure, because it is the right thing to do.”
Edward Fox, seen here in A Bridge Too Far (1977), has praised Dorset Council’s new stance to save Wareham’s crossing
“It takes courage to reverse a decision”
Edward Fox, who starred in the films A Bridge Too Far and The Day of the Jackal, said:
“This is indeed most welcome good news. Nick Ireland, leader of Dorset Council, should be loudly applauded for listening carefully to the concerns of local people and for doing absolutely the right thing for the residents of Wareham.
“It takes real courage to publicly reverse a decision. The thousands of people who use the crossing will be most sincerely grateful that a temporary reprieve on closure has now been won.
“Mothers won’t have to struggle to school up and down lengthy ramps on cold rainy days, those pushing wheelchairs will not have a daunting journey to get to the doctor’s surgery and children will be able to continue to cycle safely to school on the flat.”
Edward Fox and Vikki Slade MP at the level crossing which stops Wareham being cut in two
Duty of care to keep people safe
Edward Fox added:
“Our beautiful listed station will be saved from being despoiled by a hideous modern eyesore.
“Network Rail should now carefully consider what this means for the town, and finally put to rest the injustice done to this town when the right of way was extinguished by mistake.
“It is now for Network Rail to do the right thing for the people of Wareham and remove the threat of closure from the level crossing.”
However, Network Rail says it has a duty of care to keep people safe and would still seek to close the crossing when the council’s lease expires if no better alternative has been found by then.
Network Rail is responsible for public safety on the UK’s rail network
“Network Rail will pursue closure”
In a statement, Mark Goodall, Wessex route director for Network Rail, said:
“We were in the process of arranging a meeting with council officers prior to their recent change in position on the crossing.
“Our position on Wareham Level Crossing remains the same. Our primary obligation is to minimise risk to the lowest possible level.
“We cannot introduce any measure that increases risk, as it would be irresponsible. Any alternative must prioritise public safety and improve the current situation. If a safer long-term solution is not agreed upon by 2038, when the current lease with Dorset Council expires, Network Rail will pursue the closure of the level crossing.
“Currently, a safety attendant is present at the crossing from 6am to 1am when trains are scheduled to pass. This system costs Dorset Council £120,000 per year and this is not a suitable long-term solution for safety or for the taxpayer.”
Several hundred people have attended public protests at the Wareham crossing
“We do not consider speed reduction appropriate”
Mark Goodall continued:
“We commissioned an independent report that assessed current risk levels and outlined practical options. All solutions, except for closure and replacement with an accessible bridge with lifts or ramps, were ruled out.
“Network Rail has previously proposed these options but they have been rejected. This report was expected to be discussed by Dorset Council’s Cabinet in November, but the meeting did not occur.
“The miniature stop lights previously used at the crossing were consistently misused, leading the Office of Rail and Road to issue a safety improvement notice, resulting in the introduction of gates and crossing attendants.
“We do not consider a line speed reduction as an appropriate mitigation measure, as it would significantly impact railway punctuality or increase journey times.
“Given the significant local interest and concern, we believe it is essential to continue working with local stakeholders, including Dorset Council, to find a long-term solution to this level crossing.”
