A DORSET MP has taken up the controversial issue of a pedestrian crossing on the rail lines at Wareham.

Mid Dorset and North Poole MP Vikki Slade is to raise concerns at Government level after 250 residents protested against Dorset Council plans at the weekend.

The item was due for discussion at Tuesday evening’s council Cabinet meeting but was pulled from the agenda.

Council leader Nick Ireland told the meeting that he had listened to the view of Wareham Town Council and ward members Cllr Beryl Ezzard and Ryan Holloway and had met with Vikki Slade earlier in the day.

“I have agreed to defer this paper to allow her to meet with the office of Road and Rail to finally bottom out the realistic options for the level crossing at Wareham station. This paper may, or may not, come back at a later date,” said the leader at the start of the meeting.

Four questions, submitted to the meeting from member of the public, were not read in light of the decision.

Dorset Council has plans to modify the railway bridge with either a lift or ramp, avoiding the estimated £120,000 a year it costs to manually operate and maintain the crossing over the rain lines, which has been in place since 2009.

Among those attending the protest at the weekend was veteran actor Edward Fox, who uses the station.

“I am well aware that the ground level crossing is of vital importance to many, particularly a large population in the north of the town, who rely on the crossing to access health care, shops, jobs, schools and so on in the town centre and currently walk or cycle into town.

“It is, to my mind, extraordinary and presumptuous that Dorset Council is proposing yet again to build a ramped bridge at Wareham’s station when three previous similar schemes have failed.”

He and others against doing away with the manned crossing claim that installing a ramp or lift would discourage vulnerable residents and children cycling to and from school.

Around 6000 people live on the north side of the station with most schools, shops, recreation and health activities on the other side.

Town Mayor Cllr Marian Cotton said she was disappointed to discover that Dorset Council planned to go ahead without consulting the community.

“These options have already been looked into and discarded.

“We were promised that automatic gates would be fully investigated but this has not happened. “This town cannot be divided,” she said.

Network Rail has confirmed to the council that the crossing will close in 2038 when the lease expires, and a step-free solution needs to be decided before then.

Cabinet spokesman Cllr Jon Andrews said prior to the meeting that the time had come to take action:“Working together now, we can enable everyone to safely cross the railway and get the best outcome for the Wareham community in the future,” he said.