This morning we received the following excellent news from our MP Matthew Pennycook:

Good morning all,

I have just concluded a (remote) meeting with John Halsall, Network Rail’s Managing Director (Southern Region), and I’m very pleased to inform you that the planned closure of the Angerstein crossing has now been cancelled.

It would appear that, as a result of the collective pressure we exerted, an independent review was commissioned by Network Rail which concluded that there are sufficient grounds in this case to disapply the national algorithm that the organisation uses to determine safety risk at individual crossings.

As such, Network Rail are content to treat Angerstein as an exception to their general policy vis-à-vis such crossing closures.

I pressed Mr Halsall on whether the decision is final and he was very clear that it was, barring a significant change in the safety profile of the crossing (e.g. a future fatality, a pattern of serious injury or persistent abuse) which would force them to reopen the issue.

There remains an issue relating to ‘right of way’ and Network Rail intend to engage the Council in an effort to regularise this.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the (remote) public meeting organised by Network Rail for this evening owing to commitments in the Commons but I think it will be a good opportunity for residents to press for further clarification on issues such as Network Rail’s threshold for reopening the issue in the future, right of way, and what general improvements might be made to the crossing to enhance safety.

Thank you again for all your efforts and support over recent months to secure this outcome.  

Best wishes,

Matthew

Matthew Pennycook MP

Member of Parliament for Greenwich and Woolwich

We have thanked Matthew Pennycook for his support but also thank everyone who signed this petition from both near and far, local residents, local Councillors and local amenity societies.  This shows what a collective effort can achieve.

The zoom meeting with Network Rail at 6pm this evening will still go ahead and we encourage as many as possible to attend so that, as Matthew Pennycook suggests, we can press for further clarification on various issues.  The link is as follows:

Join our Zoom Meeting:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88638613522?pwd=ejdLeU9wNVd6MkNYRVRvY2hVVzhVZz09

Meeting ID:         886 3861 3522

Passcode:            704442