A TUNNEL will be built under a railway crossing at the centre of a safety row by March next year – at a cost of £4 million to the taxpayer.
Network Rail, the authority responsible for the UK's railway network, will construct the underpass beneath the tracks near Ingatestone station as a replacement for Footpath 37.
The path has been closed since September 2011 on the grounds that it is unsafe – despite the fact that there has never been a fatal accident or even a near miss on the crossing.
Villagers have been campaigning to get the footpath reopened but Network Rail has dug its heels in, insisting it is not safe to do so due to "insufficient sight lines" for pedestrians.
As previously reported in the Gazette, the firm had decided to erect a new crossing some 300m away off Heybridge Road.
To do this, Network Rail contractors had hacked back vegetation to the rear of properties in Heybridge Road – sparking anger from residents who said the security and privacy of their homes was being compromised.
As a result of this latest development, however, this plan will no longer go ahead.
Darren Hepple, 48, who has lived in Heybridge Road for the past 19 years, said: "We are overjoyed that Network Rail have decided not to go ahead with the temporary diversion but now they need to stick to their word to put an underpass in.
"The ball is firmly in Network Rail's court now and we really do need to see some positive moves from them to ensure we have a tunnel by next year."
He said we he was looking to set up a residents' group to start dialogue with Network Rail in order to return the area at the rear of his home to the wildlife sanctuary that he says has been damaged by the works.
Network Rail laid out its latest plan at a packed and at times fractious public meeting at Fryerning Parish Hall on Wednesday.
The firm's route managing director Richard Schofield said it was likely that a planning application for a tunnel under the railway could be expected in the next three months.
Speaking at the meeting, he said: "We are absolutely committed to solving this problem and we are committed to putting in a tunnel.
"It is not as easy as bringing in a tractor, but we have made stunning amounts of progress in the last six weeks."
Brentwood and Ongar MP Eric Pickles, who has campaigned for the crossing to be reopened, said: "I am more optimistic about the situation than I have been for a while.
"It's been a shoddy episode, but nevertheless, we seem to have an agreed way forward.
"But the important thing is to keep Network Rail to their word."
John Saxton, chairman of campaign group PROWL37 said: "Network Rail's credibility has gone from zero to a woefully negative value.
"Network Rail has increased its estimate of the tunnel cost to what would pay for the construction of about fifty houses. "
In order to keep Footpath 37 closed, Network Rail has periodically had to seek permission from Essex County Council.
A council spokesman said: "The current position is that Footpath 37 will remain closed until a permanent subway construction is built .
"Network Rail will be applying to Brentwood Borough Council for planning permission to build the new subway.
"The current temporary footpath diversion put in place by Network Rail will also be removed.
"Any fencing and draining works will be a matter for Network Rail to address."
