York rail bridge plan dropped after accessibility row

Plans for a footbridge to replace a level crossing over a railway line near York have been dropped after complaints about accessibility.

Network Rail has withdrawn its planning application for the bridge across the Copmanthorpe crossing.

Objectors called for a bridge with a ramp rather than one with steps.

The rail company said it would now take the opportunity to "evaluate solutions" and look again at "the benefits of all options".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Network Rail said the new crossing was needed as part of a multi-billion pound upgrade of the Transpennine route.

"Since 2019 we have engaged with the surrounding community and stakeholders developing a solution to enable us to close Copmanthorpe level crossing and divert the existing public right of way via an alternative means of crossing the line," a spokesperson said.

"We remain confident that our proposed stepped footbridge design would support current users of the crossing, cause the least visual intrusion and environmental impact on the local community and retain the ability for a ramp to be added in future.

"However, there were passionate and reasoned objections heard at the public inquiry and we have made the choice to withdraw our application at this time."

The upgrade is part of a £3.9bn government investment to improve connectivity in northern England.

Once complete in the mid-2030s, it will offer up to eight trains per hour, hundreds of extra seats and cut journey times between Manchester and York by 10 minutes, the government has said.

Copmanthorpe councillor Chris Steward said: "I very much welcome the Network Rail decision and hope this is the start of a process which can get a truly accessible railway crossing with a ramped rather than stepped access."

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].