Actor Edward Fox locked in planning row over Dorset railway crossing (2024)

He starred in the epic war movie A Bridge Too Far. Now it seems actor Edward Fox has a real-life fight on his hands after he slammed plans for a new controversial railway crossing in his hometown.

The Day of the Jackal star has taken aim at bureaucrats who want to build the modern ramped bridge onto the Grade II listed Victorian station at Wareham, Dorset.

The people of the market town have happily used a red-brick footbridge and a level crossing to get from one side of the tracks to the other for more than 40 years.

Although there have been no accidents in that time, Network Rail bosses have said the crossing is a health and safety risk and want to put in the sloping zig-zag bridge.

They tried to get planning permission for a similar bridge in 2018 but it was rejected as the structure would have had a negative visual impact on a listed building.

The length of the ramps were also considered too steep for manually powered wheelchair users.

Despite this, Dorset Council has revealed its intention to work with Network Rail and press ahead with a ramped bridge.

Around half of the town’s 6,000 population live on the north side of the railway, with the crossing being the only pedestrian route to the town centre.

Many people fear they will be cut off from vital services as they will be unable to negotiate the lengthy, uphill bridge.

Around 250 people attended a peaceful protest at the crossing at the weekend.

Mr Fox, 87, is extremely outspoken at the plans and accused officials of ‘lacking in decency’ by going against the will of the people.

Mr Fox, who has lived near the picturesque town since 1982, said: ‘As a regular user of Wareham Station, I am well aware that the ground level crossing is of vital importance to many.

‘It is of particular importance to 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 of 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 previous similar schemes have failed.

‘This would cut the town in half, an extraordinary notion in itself, isolate vulnerable residents for whom it would be impossible to use the steep ramps and prevent school children from cycling to school.’

Mr Fox, who starred in the 1973 movie The Day of the Jackal and the epic war film A Bridge Too Far, added: ‘Dorset Council and Network Rail appear to be implacably determined on pushing this through without the decency and good manners to consult local people.

‘It would have an eternally irreversible impact on the town’s future as well as being a permanent blot on the town’s historic station.’

Marian Cotton, the Mayor of Wareham, is also against the new bridge. She said: ‘I was shocked and disappointed to find out that Dorset Council is proposing to close the level crossing and replace it with ramps or lifts without consulting the town council or local community. These options have already been looked into and discarded.’

Dorset Council said the current level crossing costs the taxpayer £120,000 a year because they have to employ crossing attendants.

Jon Andrews, the council’s cabinet member for place services, said: ‘The current arrangements are unsustainable, both practically and financially.’

Network Rail