CLOSURE of the Seaward Way level crossing which is expected to leave Minehead without West Somerset Railway services until October, will cost traders ‘hundreds of thousands’ in lost revenue, it was claimed this week.

Three years after a £1.2million replacement crossing was first mooted, major work has yet to begin and trains terminate at Dunster, cutting off Minehead railway station. Passengers complete their journey by bus.

This week it was confirmed that the crossing would not be completed for this year’s holiday season and was not likely to open until October.

Describing the delay as ‘an absolute disgrace’, Minehead Mayor Cllr Paul Bolton said the station was a focal point for visitors and steam galas, and other events brought thousands of visitors into the town. Minehead is missing out on most of the railway footfall which is vital to shops, hotels and B&Bs,” Cllr Bolton said. “We had been led to believe the work would be completed before the summer. We have lost a complete season. Is the county council going to compensate the people who have lost money?”

This week, local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger called for ‘a full explanation for the farcical situation which has left Minehead without train services this summer’.

Initial planning for the replacement crossing started in 2018 and the design was completed in 2020. It was finally approved by the Office of Road and Rail regulator last February. The county council has provided £1.2million funding.

In a joint statement this week, the WSR and the county council said that although it was disappointing that the crossing could not be completed in time for summer, due mainly to the Covid emergency, there would still be a service from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead using a bus link from Dunster.

“In keeping with the unique traveller experience offered by the WSR, the journey will be by vintage bus at weekends. We are keenly aware of the importance of this service to local businesses in Minehead, which is why the WSR is providing this bus service.”

The joint statement said the project had been hit hard by the Covid crisis and there had also been supply chain issues for some key parts. “Most of the specialist rail contractors needed for this work are also currently required by Network Rail for vital works across the main UK network.”

In a separate report to members, WSR said: “It has become clear that the crossing is unlikely to open to passenger trains this season. This is a big disappointment to everyone involved.” The statement added that at the time of writing the best information was that the crossing would finally open in the middle of October.

Members were told that the half-barrier, controlled automatically by trains, ‘has worn out. The wiring and the barrier mechanisms themselves were simply time-expired.

“Given the sea air, they had lasted well, but the big danger was that the crossing would fail and the barriers might rise just when a train was approaching. This was a risk no-one could afford to take.”

The new crossing had to be much more substantial, with double barriers across the road rather than the previous half-barriers, and controlled from the station signal box. The report to members added: “This is not a heritage level crossing but a railway level crossing taking the best of 2021 technology which enables our steam trains and road-users to use it with 2021 expectations of safety.

“Once the work is complete, the board will hold a review to see what could have been done better.

“However, it is clear to those working on the project that, with hindsight, it was never realistic to hope that this substantial technical project could have been completed on a heritage railway with a significant contribution of volunteers in less than about nine to ten months.

“The superimposition of the repeated Covid lockdowns has just made that impossible.”

Responding to this week’s news Graham Sizer, Minehead BID chairman, said: “While we are disappointed that we won’t see trains running in to Minehead this summer, like everyone else in the business fraternity we wish the West Somerset Railway all the best with this project.

“We are hopeful that the annual 1940s weekend, that Minehead BID sponsors, can still take place this autumn and if it does go ahead, this will help put Minehead back on the heritage railway map.”

Mr Liddell-Grainger said the loss of trains this summer had dealt a heavy blow to the Minehead business community which is attempting to rebuild in the wake of Covid lockdowns. He claimed the company and the county council owed local traders a frank explanation as to what had gone wrong.

“The lack of trains is going to wipe hundreds of thousands off local balance sheets. But what concerns me most is the information vacuum surrounding this whole issue.

“It has been known for a long time that the level crossing is no longer fit for purpose because of increased road traffic. But what the local business community want to know is why the delays have crept in.

“I shall look forward to a full and clear explanation from both sides as to what has caused this entirely unacceptable delay.”

Mr Liddell-Grainger added: “It’s obviously in everyone’s interests to get full services running on the line again and I sincerely hope the target of restoring them in time for Christmas is achievable.”