A LONG awaited scheme to improve safety at Watchet's Goviers Lane railway crossing is on the verge of getting the green light.

More than two years of campaigning and negotiations to replace controversial self-closing gates at the site will be rewarded if West Somerset Council's cabinet gives the go-ahead for work on the improved layout - a chicane system - to get underway in November.

Councillors will be asked on Wednesday to approve the cost - just over £66,000 - and award the contract to Dunster-based builders G A Sully Ltd.

The scheme includes a £12,000 payment to quantity surveyors Michael Riley Associates for construction and design management guidance because of the "sensitivities" of the area and public health and safety issues.

The district council will pick up the bill for £22,255 of the overall cost, with Somerset County Council contributing just over £24,000.

The West Somerset Railway will make a £15,000 contribution and Watchet Town Council is helping to fill a funding gap with a grant of £4,861.

Local people raised concerns about the original gates, which replaced a vandal-hit warning lights system, shortly after they were installed in July 2010.

They claimed the gates, which were approved by the Office of Rail Regulation but not impact assessed under disability legislation, were almost impossible for wheelchair or mobility scooter users or people with pushchairs to negotiate.

Feelings ran even higher after local resident Jim Kelly ws injured and subsequently died after his motorised scooter tipped over on the seaward side path of the crossing.

Campaigners presented a 400-plus signature petition calling for the removal of the gates and warned they were prepared to take legal action against the WSR and district and county councils under the then 1995 Disability Discrimination Act - since superseded by the Equalities Act 2010.

District council cabinet members will be told in a report by corporate manager Steve Watts that the chicane system was the result of "positive engagement" between campaigners, the councils, the Office of Rail Regulation and the WSR.

He said a considerable amount of time had been expended in finding a workable solution.

Mr Watts said the new system was based on an anticipated crossing time of a maximum 13 seconds and specifically took into account pushchair users and people with restricted mobility.

The proposed modifications would provide a chicane arrangement on either side of the railway, giving a minimum width of approximately 1.5 metres.

This would ease the use of the crossing for wheelchair or buggy users but would also limit the likelihood of pedestrians and cyclists effectively ignoring its presence,

The layout would mean pedestrians approached the railway track at right angles at the 'decision points' after turning from an easterly or westerly direction.

"The visibility of approaching trains from either 'decision point' on the crossing is in excess of 80 metres," said Mr Watts.

"It is intended to retain the 10mph maximum speed of trains approaching the crossing as the time between an approaching train coming into view and reaching the crossing will be in excess of the 13 seconds crossing time."

Mr Watts said no additional warning devices would be provided but trains would sound their whistles or horns to reinforce their presence.

The scheme would also incorporate alterations to the layout of the approach to the crossing on the north side to create a gentler slope for wheelchairs and buggies, whilst also retaining a direct route via steps and a self-closing gate.

Although the lower ramped approach would not be re-graded, improvements would be made to railings and existing barriers.

In addition, the guard rail and dropped kerb from the pavement onto Harbour Road would be repositioned to make the approach easier to negotiate.

Mr Watts said the Office for Rail Regulation was supportive of the scheme, which had gone out to local consultation and had also been tested with a practical demonstration.

The work is expected to take six weeks to complete and, if approved by cabinet members, would be carried out between November 5 and 30 when no scheduled trains are running.

Mr Watts said there was a duty on all parties involved to make reasonable adjustments to the crossing under disability legislation.

"Failure to make reasonable adjustments can be a form of discrimination and is unlawful."

And he said the council's insurers had recently settled a claim out of court in respect of an incident involving a motorised scooter that had tipped over on the dogleg pathway of the seaward side of the crossing.

The proposed improvements would enhance the overall safety of the approach to the crossing in both directions, in particular the adverse camber at the top of the steps.