A response from Transport for Wales about the Cwmbach Railline crossing

Questions to the Safety, Sustainability, and Risk Director Transport for Wales on the 26th of January 2024.

I am writing to seek clarification regarding the status of Public Right of Way footpath 23 from Aberaman to Cwmbach. Following our recent Pact meeting, a local councillor mentioned that the delay in reopening the Right of Way is attributed to the installation of incorrect pedestrian gates, which allegedly do not comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

Could you kindly verify if the mentioned reason is accurate and is the basis for requesting an extension of the closure order for the year 2023? Alternatively, if there are other factors contributing to the delay, could you please elaborate on them?

Furthermore, I would appreciate it if you could provide a tentative completion date for the reopening of the aforementioned Public Right of Way.

During the meeting, there was also a discussion about the potential conversion of the existing Public Right of Way footpath 23 into a Bridleway. Understanding that such a transition would necessitate new legislation, I am interested in knowing if the proposed rail crossing aligns with the requirements for a Bridleway.

Your prompt attention to these inquiries is highly valued, and I look forward to receiving your response at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely

AberdareOnline

The response was received today.

Please see the below response –

Further to the attached update that was issued to the community in October, whilst the bulk of the new safety features have now been installed there are still a number of assessments to be undertaken. We are also continuing to work with the local authority on the design of the barriers to ensure the crossing is as accessible as possible, once reopened. It is our aim that – pending the outcomes of the safety assessments – that we can reopen the crossing in the coming weeks. We hope to be in a position to confirm a date soon.

On the barriers; they are actually compliant as they are. However (and the letter attached gives the detail) we recognise it’s not the most accessible. As such, the K barriers will be part of phase 2 updates which we are working with RCT on; phase 1 is currently underway to open a compliant crossing. The barriers have been installed based fully on railway safety requirements, due to the awareness of previous type of misuse, trespass, and vandalism.

On the bridleway – legally – there are no bridleway rights along this entire route, it is a public footpath rights of way only. RCT has confirmed this point prior to our new modification works taking place to accommodate the Overhead line Equipment and additional track over this crossing.

For your information, this request does not fall under subject access (Data Protection) as it is not a request for personal information.

To assist you further, you can make a formal request for recorded information about TfW by contacting our Freedom of Information manager who can be emailed using the following – freedomofinformation@tfw.wales

Freedom of Information requests are subject to a 20 working day statutory deadline.

I hope this is of assistance and would like to take this opportunity to once again apologise for the delay in your response.

Yours sincerely,

Ian Morgan
Customer Relations Advisor

Transport for Wales Rail Services

Tel: 03333 211 202

Gwefan/Web: https://tfwrail.wales/contact-us

Aberdare Online have looked at the Baseplate Level Crossing In Cwmbach, and cannot see why this Public Right of Way is not open.

In the charming Welsh village of Cwmbach, our innovative Baseplate level crossing system and Anti-Trespass Panels have been installed by SCORPION ES LTD, providing a secure and easily accessible crossing point for the local community.

Rosehill Rail’s solid rubber Baseplate system offer an eco-friendly crossing solution for track access, depots, agricultural, and pedestrian applications.

Our Anti-Trespass Panels serve as a powerful visual and physical deterrent, reducing unauthorised access by up to 78%. These panels can be quickly installed on virtually any surface, including trackside or platform ends, to discourage trespassing on train and tram tracks.