A RAIL crossing in Wareham will be open “for the long term”, it has been announced.

There had been fears the pedestrian crossing was to be closed, removing a ground-level path for residents, amid funding and safety concerns.

However, MP Vikki Slade (Lib Dem, Mid Dorset and North Poole) and Network Rail have now announced an agreement to keep the walkway open.

It means the current arrangements, with manually-operated gates, will continue in place for the long term, allaying concerns that the crossing might have been closed for safety reasons.

Cllr Nick Ireland, leader of Dorset Council and Ms Slade secured an agreement with Mark Goodall, Wessex Route director for Network Rail, at a meeting on Monday (March 17).

The £120,000 annual cost of staffing the crossing is paid by Dorset Council, and Cllr Ireland has committed funding will remain in place for as long as he leads the council.

For its part, Network Rail has proposed a continuous rolling agreement to be signed with Dorset Council for the crossing, removing a previous expected expiry date of 2038.

Cllr Ireland said: “I am delighted we have been able to secure this agreement with Network Rail; it’s the right decision for Wareham community.

“I’d like to thank Vikki Slade MP for her help in securing this agreement and, of course, to the people of Wareham for their perseverance and determination on this matter.”

The future of the Wareham crossing has been the subject of a long-running dispute, with questions over safety concerns, the funding of staffing for the crossing and aborted plans for alternative crossing solutions.

While residents were keen to keep the crossing, Network Rail said any unmanned or automatic crossing would contravene its safety obligations and require a total closure, shuld funding be removed.

Now, after a series of meetings culminating in the agreement this week, Ms Slade said she was ‘thrilled that the voices of the community have been heard’.

“Since Cllr Ireland was elected leader of Dorset Council he has engaged with this issue, attending meetings and shown a commitment to a resolution,” she added.

“The original failure of the county council in the 1970s created the uncertainty and I am pleased that he has provided assurance on continued funding, which secures the ground level access into the long term. This shows the value and importance of partnership working.”

Mr Goodall said: “We know how important this level crossing is to the community in Wareham, and we are pleased to have worked with Vikki Slade MP and Councillor Nick Ireland to find a way forward.

“The safety of people using the crossing has always been our primary concern, and the commitment from Dorset Council to continue funding the staffing costs will ensure that we can maintain the same high level of safety we have today.”