MORE than two years of campaigning and negotiations came to fruition this week when the green light was given for a long-awaited new railway crossing at Watchet's Goviers Lane.

A new chicane system will be built in place of controversial self-closing gates after West Somerset Council's cabinet gave the go-ahead for the work to get underway in November.

At their meeting on Wednesday, councillors welcomed the conclusion of years of hard work and dedication from a broad spectrum of individuals and organisations.

And they hailed the completed design as a superb example of partnership-working between the council and a host of different bodies and local people.

"So much work has been put into this and finding a solution has not been east, but this will make a huge different to the lives of the people of Watchet," finance lead member Cllr Kate Kravis said.

Council chairman Cllr Doug Ross added: "Everyone on the council is relieved and pleased to see this is going to be done."

Cabinet members approved the £66,000 plus cost of the project and awarded the contract to Dunster-based builders G A Sully Ltd.

The scheme included 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.

While the district council would pick up the bill for £22,255 of the overall cost, Somerset County Council would be contributing just over £24,000.

The West Somerset Railway would make a £15,000 contribution and Watchet Town Council would help 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 was 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legal action against the WSR and district and county councils under the then 1995 Disability Discrimination Act - since superceded by the Equalities Act 2010.

The district council's corporate manager Steve Watts said the proposed chicane system was the result of "positive engagement" between campaigners, local councils, the Office of Rail Regulation and the West Somerset Railway

He 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 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 regraded, 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.

Watchet member Cllr Tony Knight said: "I think this new system will be thought by many to be rather elaborate but it is a necessity and something we have to do."

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 would hopefully be carried out between November 5 and 30 when no scheduled trains were running.

Photo: Steve Guscott