Request to close footpath across railway line rejected

Nicholas Thomas, local democracy reporter

An application to remove a footpath which crosses the Cardiff to Rhymney railway line has been rejected.

Transport for Wales (TfW), which is electrifying the line and introducing more frequent train services, applied for the right of way to be closed on safety grounds.

At a meeting on Thursday March 27, Caerphilly County Borough Council’s rights of way committee heard competing arguments about the crossing’s safety and usage.

Richard Coles, a consultant for TfW, said removing the path and crossing would be “the safest and only viable means of completely removing any potential accident or fatality at this location”.

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Legal duty

In a statement read to the committee, Mr Coles said TfW had a legal duty to assess all level crossings on the line because of the wider improvements project.

That work will introduce new electrified trains which are “faster and quieter” than diesel engines, and the installation of columns “may have an impact on existing sighting distances”.

He also claimed surveys had found “very low usage” of the crossing.

But this was challenged by a local resident, Mike Powell, who told the committee the route was accessed “not often – but it is used”.

He told the committee he was able to cross the tracks “safely”, and suggested the applicant was “economic in the information that they had provided” in their arguments for a closure.

Mr Powell, who said he had previous professional experience in risk assessment, and in health and safety, told councillors the application was “not giving you a true picture”.

“What record is there of any incident that has occurred at that level crossing?” he asked. “There’s no record of an animal being killed. There’s no record of a human being killed.

“There is no record of an incident, other than a small altercation between a member of the public and a train driver, who apparently had to apply his emergency brakes to stop the train safely, in order to have a conversation with the member of the public.”

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'Cursory'

Llanbradach ward councillor Colin Mann said the evaluation of the route seemed “cursory”, and included a survey “done during Covid”.

“How many people would you expect to be walking there during Covid?” he asked.

On safety concerns, Cllr Mann said walkers are generally “aware of issues” when out in the countryside.

“I’m sure any diligent walker, before they cross that railway, [would] listen and look to see what was coming,” he told the committee, adding: “I don’t see much danger. There hasn’t been an incident recorded in the 18 years that people have been recording incidents.”

Committee member Cllr Philippa Leonard said there appeared to be “quite high visibility” on the crossing during a site visit.

“My thoughts were that it’s just as hard to cross a busy road,” she told colleagues.

Cllr Eluned Stenner proposed the committee refuse to make the closure order, but instead ask TfW to install pedestrian light and sound signals at the crossing, and upgrade access from stiles to gates.

The committee went on to approve that proposal.