Public meet to discuss new footbridge plans
Concerns of residents in Forth Park and Vale Grove
A public meeting will be held to unveil plans for a footbridge near the location of two level crossings which are to close in Stirling.
The move is an olive branch to residents of Forth Park and Vale Grove, who claim the loss of the Cornton crossings will cut them off from their community of Bridge of Allan and the planned road bridge to replace them adds a mile onto their walk into the village.
But opinion is still divided on the 85-property estate, where some residents are in favour of the footbridge - while others argue that it will be too far away, and the estate will still be isolated as it will no longer be on a bus route.
A meeting, being hosted by Keith Brown MSP and Councillor Graham Houston, who held talks with Network Rail to come up with a comprimise for Forth Park householders, will be held at the Allan Centre in Bridge of Allan on Monday at 8pm.
Councillor Houston said: “When you bring about this level of change it’s almost impossible to meet the wishes and desires of a total community.
“But the purpose of our meeting is to understand where the community stands in the majority.
“I see a footbridge as progress, but I said from the start we needed a follow-up meeting when more details were available.”
Network Rail are seeking to close the crossings at Cornton before the railway through Stirling is electrified in 2019, but householders have insisted a new £10 million road bridge around half a mile away will leave Forth Park and Vale Grove isolated, adding a mile-long walk to reach schools and medical services in Bridge of Allan.
Ian Whyte, 69, a retired chartered surveyor who lives in Vale Grove, said: “I am aware that not all residents wanted a footbridge but, realistically, it is the only real alternative in the circumstances to the level crossing closing.
“Network Rail has consistently indicated that if the level crossing were to remain there would be a delay for vehicles and pedestrians getting over the crossing of seven minutes for single trains and up to 14 minutes when trains approach from opposite directions.
“Even if these figures were on the high side I would still consider it unacceptable to stand for, say, 3-5 minutes on a wet or cold day before I could get home or continue my journey.
“From Network Rail’s safety point this would also increase the risk of vehicles and pedestrians attempting to get across before the barriers were fully down.
“Cornton Road is used regularly by blue-light emergency vehicles. Imagine the potential consequences of an emergency vehicle stuck on the wrong side of a closed crossing for the length of times suggested.”
But Forth Park householder Bill Glencross said the new footbridge would, in fact, be 300 metres away from the entrance to the estate.
He added: “I personally don’t want the crossing to close. I want to remain part of the village.
“The bridge proposed will not be at our entrance. We won’t be on a bus route and therefore the roads leading to Forth Park or this bridge will not be cleared in bad weather. We will not be linked to the village.”