Network Rail unveil Ufton Nervet bridge plans

Rail giant will spend £8m replacing the current half barrier crossing after years of campaigning following fatal crash

NETWORK Rail has submitted a formal planning application for a bridge to replace the "notorious" level crossing at Ufton Nervet.

The rail firm says that work on the bridge, which is expected to cost around £8m, will start next year subject to planning permission being approved and will take up to 12 months to complete.

There have been calls to improve safety at the site since a fatal crash on November 6, 2004, in which seven people died and more than 120 were injured.

Since then, another four people have lost their lives at the crossing, taking the total number of deaths to eleven in the past eleven years.

The plans for a new bridge were unveiled at a public meeting at Sulhamstead and Ufton Nervet Village Hall on Tuesday where Network Rail representatives were on hand to answer questions.

The rail operator, which has previously been criticised for not building a bridge sooner, said that "doing nothing wasn't an option".