As part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade, we are proposing to replace three private railway crossings in the Church Fenton area – Rose Lane, Adamsons and Poulters – with a safer alternative.
The Transpennine Route Upgrade will transform the railway between York, Leeds and Manchester to enable more frequent, more reliable, faster and greener trains – supporting economic growth in the North and delivering real benefits for passengers, communities and freight services along this vital rail artery.
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Our plans
To enable us to deliver these benefits, we are proposing to build a new highway bridge and road to maintain access to homes on Rose Lane and local farms.
Our proposals include building a new access road from Common Lane, which will join the southern end of Rose Lane, via a new highway bridge. This will provide alternative access for level crossing users and allow all three level crossings to be closed.
The new road will be two lanes wide and include a pedestrian footpath. It has been designed so that the gradients of the road on each side are accessible and suitable for wheelchair use.
Key benefits
Our proposed scheme has several crucial benefits:
Improved safety
We are responsible for maintaining the railway network, and this includes making it as safe as possible for passengers and the public. Level crossings can pose a serious risk to users, so we want to create a safer way for people to cross to reduce the risk of any accidents.
Rose Lane Level Crossing is one of the highest risk rated level crossings on the Transpennine route and there is a history of safety incidents at the crossing.
A better railway
The number of tracks here is being increased from two to three, meaning a more resilient and reliable railway while also improving journey times and providing more frequent trains for passengers.
We are also upgrading the tracks to enable faster trains to safely run, increasing the risk to level crossing users.
A cleaner and quieter railway
We are electrifying the railway between York and Leeds, and on to Manchester, meaning cleaner, greener and quieter electric trains for those living near the railway.
Overhead high voltage lines increase the risk to high-sided vehicles and farm traffic, particularly at Poulters and Adamsons level crossings. For the safety of the public and passengers, it is important that these level crossings are replaced. There is also insufficient clearance for overhead lines beneath the existing footbridge.
Supporting economic growth
With more seats and more trains, our proposals will better connect the cities across the North. We want to build a railway which passengers and businesses can trust.
Our engagement
Since June 2021, we have been speaking to impacted local landowners, level crossing rights holders, Rose Lane residents and those living closest to the proposed new road and bridge about our proposals, which helped shape the designs presented for consultation.
We have also engaged the Environment Agency and local planning and highway authorities.
We carried out a public consultation with the local community between Monday 31 January and Friday 11 March 2022 to get their feedback on our plans.
Following the consultation process, we have considered all the feedback received in order to develop detailed designs and apply for permission to build the Scheme, using a Transport & Works Act Order.
Next steps
The Network Rail (Church Fenton Level Crossing Reduction) Order.
On 28 July 2022, Network Rail submitted its Transport & Works Act Order (TWAO) application to the Secretary of State for Transport for the Church Fenton Level Crossing Reduction scheme.
To view the TWAO application and all the plans and documents submitted with them please refer to our application documents below.
A copy of the TWAO application and of all plans and other documents submitted with them, may be inspected free of charge from 28 July to 8 September 2022 at Sherburn and Villages Community Library, Finkle Hill, Sherburn-in-Elmet LS25 6EA at the following times:
- Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays: 09:30 to 17:00
- Fridays: 09:30 to 13:00
- Saturdays: 09:30 to 12:30
- Wednesdays and Sundays: closed
Any objections to, or other representations about, the proposals in the application should be sent to the Secretary of State for Transport c/o Transport Infrastructure Planning Unit, Department for Transport, Zone 1/18, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 4DR, or by email to transportinfrastructure@dft.gov.uk
An objection or representation MUST (i) be received by the Secretary of State on or before 8 September 2022, (ii) be made in writing (whether sent by post or email), (iii) state the grounds of the objection or other representation, (iv) indicate who is making the objection or other representation, and (v) give an address to which correspondence relating to the objection or other representation may be sent. (If you are sending your objection or other representation by e-mail, please provide a postal address and state “Network Rail (Church Fenton Level Crossing Reduction) Order” in the subject of the email.
The Secretary of State may make complete copies of the objections and other representations public, including any personal information in them, and will copy them to the applicant for the Order.
Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) application
Statement of case
Contact us
If you have any questions or require more information about the Scheme, you can email us at TranspennineEngagement@networkrail.co.uk
You can also visit our contact us page or call our 24-hour National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41. Please quote “Church Fenton Level Crossing Reduction TWAO” to be directed to the correct team.