Railway foot crossings to remain shut until 2028

Two railway footpath crossings that have been regularly targeted by anti-social behaviour are set to be closed for a further two years, the council has confirmed.

The Brickfields crossing, linking Brickfields Park to Astwood Road, and the Kays crossing, linking Bromyard Road to Laugherne Brook Nature Reserve, in Worcester, were ordered to close in September 2023.

The city council has now agreed to make Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) to extend the closure of the two crossings until at least 2028.

Network Rail intends to apply to Worcestershire County Council to permanently close both railway crossings - a process expected to take 18 months.

It has identified ongoing safety concerns at both crossings, including incidents of trespass, vandalism, objects being thrown at trains, near misses involving pedestrians and trains, and a fatal crash at the Kays crossing in 2019.

Public consultations showed support for the continued closure of both crossings, the council said, with West Mercia Police also backing the decision.

Councillor Jabba Riaz, chairman of Worcester City Council's communities committee, said: "While this will cause inconvenience for some people, it's important that the safety of the public, both pedestrians using these crossings, and passengers and crew on the trains, is given priority.

"In both locations, there are other nearby footpaths that people are already used to using."

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