PLACARD-waving protesters made their feelings known about Watchet's new railway safety gates at Goviers Lane during a public demonstration on Saturday.

Organised by Cindy Griffiths, the aim of the demo was to show people the difficulties faced by wheelchair and mobility scooter-users, as well as parents with pushchairs.

The gates were installed by the West Somerset Railway in July to replace a previous flashing lights system.

The railway has always denied people have problems using the gates and said there was no proof an incident last month that left pensioner Jim Kelly severely battered and bruised had been caused by or on railway property.

Mr Kelly, who was hospitalised by the accident, maintained he had fallen off his motorised scooter while trying to open the gates.

Mrs Griffiths said she hoped the protest would drive home the message that something needed to be done about the gates and ensure railway managers did not just ignore their concerns.

"Thirty people turned up and I want to thank them for doing so," she said.

"There was nothing to stop the management of WSR from being there on the day, and it would have been fairer to the volunteers if they had come along to support them by facing the music for having done nothing about the problems for four months now.

"The volunteers at least went away with a better insight into the access and safety problems facing disabled people, and in fact all users, and promised to pass them on to railway management.

"If WSR think that the community is going to simply get used to the situation they are sadly mistaken.

"We are here to stay until they admit they got it wrong, find a safe and acceptable solution and give the people back their town."

Photo: Steve Guscott