"THEY have been mendacious and my constituents have been messed around."
These are the words of Brentwood's Conservative MP Eric Pickles – words he this week aimed squarely at Network Rail, the authority responsible for the United Kingdom's railway network.
Mr Pickles said the firm had reneged on its promise to build a temporary footbridge over the railway near Ingatestone to provide an alternative crossing following the closure of Footpath 37 in 2011.
The MP, who is also the local government secretary, says Network Rail assured him that a footbridge would be built, writing to him in February to say: "The project team aims to have a confirmed date for the installation of the footbridge in the next couple of weeks."
However, earlier this month, the company told him that there is in fact no money for a footbridge, suggesting instead that a pedestrian underpass scheme would be developed.
Footpath 37, which has crossed the railway line at Ingatestone since 1840, was closed to the public in September 2011 after Network Rail said pedestrians using the crossing had "insufficient sight lines".
Mr Pickles said the firm appeared to have no intention of ever installing a footbridge at the site, describing its project team as non-existent.
"They have produced solutions which were never practical, not costed and which they never had the intention of doing," he said.
"They have been mendacious, they have been negligent as to the truth and my constituents have been messed around."
John Saxton, the secretary of campaign group PROWL 37, said: "I totally endorse Eric's view of things.
"A temporary footbridge we all thought would have looked rather silly because it would have been incredibly high.
"It would have been feasible but not very sensible."
When the Gazette first reported the closure of the footpath in October 2011, Network Rail told the Gazette that it would be shut temporarily "while mitigation measures, including a possible replacement subway, are identified and implemented".
The pathway, which runs between Heybridge Road and Ingatestone Hall, has remained closed ever since and later this month, the firm will be applying to Essex County Council to extend the closure further.
A Network Rail spokesman said: "We acknowledge that we need to improve our communications with interested parties and will seek to remedy this situation.
"The proposal for a temporary footbridge, when considered in more detail, was deemed to be not viable.
"The option for a subway is something that we are developing along with other options.
"As things stand, we are seeking a viable solution to enable local users to cross the railway safely."
Eric Pickles column page 18
