A Bridge Too Vulgar
Edward Fox joins protests over ‘eyesore’ zig-zag railway crossing
‘Permanent blot on historic station’
Actor edward Fox gave an impassioned speech as a British general in the classic war film A Bridge Too Far.
now 80, the screen star has launched a new battle cry – this time against controversial plans for his local railway bridge.
The actor made a heartfelt plea after a public meeting, warning officials that the proposals would leave a ‘permanent blot’ on the market town of Wareham in dorset.
Fox won an Oscar for his role as lt Gen Brian Horrocks in the 1977 movie, based on Operation Market Garden, the failed Second World War mission to take eight key bridges held by the Germans.
He is now determined not to lose the fight against network rail and council plans to add an ‘unsightly’ network of ramps to the Grade iilisted station footbridge at a cost of up to £1.7million.
The actor argued the imposing 19ft-high network would overwhelm the historic structure.
The station, which is served by pretty brick buildings, dates from 1887, which replaced an even older stop from 1847. The star said: ‘This is a vital issue which will affect the day-to-day lives of local residents and have an irreversible impact on the town’s future. The proposal would also be a permanent blot on our town’s historic station.’ rail bosses and dorset County Council want to add ramps to the existing footbridge and shut off the ‘dangerous’ level crossing currently used by pushchair and wheelchair users. The crossing is controlled by locked gates and a security guard at a cost of £120,000 a year. The plans will mean those taking the new route over the tracks will have to travel 450ft up and down the zigzagging ramps. Fox, who also starred in 1973 film The day Of The Jackal, has lived near Wareham on the isle of Purbeck, since the 1980s. He regularly uses the station to travel to london. The actor is fighting the plans alongside more than 2,200 people who have signed a petition calling for the current crossing to be retained.
Campaigners have pointed out no one has ever been seriously injured there in 40 years and have called for an automated gate to be installed instead. About 1,000 people use the existing crossing daily to get to work and access local amenities. The actor is no stranger to local politics. Seven years ago he gave a speech that helped convince planners to reject an application for a supermarket near Wareham. The star won a round of applause after claiming the proposal would ‘ruin for evermore a precious corner’ of dorset. There have been previous plans to redesign the station’s footbridge, which has been earmarked for closure for several years. But a dorset Council spokes- man said this design for Wareham station was ‘less imposing’ than previous proposals, adding: ‘[The ramps] will be shorter in length and have less of an impact on the existing railway footbridge.’
After the meeting last month, Mid dorset and north Poole MP Michael Tomlinson said: ‘The strong opposition voiced clearly showed the strength of local opinion. There are very real concerns that this proposal will split the town in half, some people will simply be unable to get across the railway and that it would be an eyesore.’
A county council spokesman said: ‘We expect to submit the application in around two weeks’ time and will follow the standard planning process, which will give all parties the opportunity to comment.’
A final planning decision will be made by the county council’s regulatory committee.